This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Veterans Service Representative works in a Veterans Service Center, Pension Management Center, Benefits Eligibility Support Team, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System Program Division. The position explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, reviews claims, identifies issues, gathers evidence, conducts interviews, adjudicates claims, inputs award data, and prepares decision letters for Veterans.
Duties
The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, analyzes claims materials, identifies issues, gathers relevant evidence, conducts interviews, adjudicates claims, and inputs data necessary to generate the award and notification letter to the Veteran describing the decision and the reason for it. Specifically, the VSR will: Making determinations as to the eligibility for the type of benefit sought to include questions relating to adequacy of military service, medical evidence and the evaluation of evidence of income, employability, dependence and relationship Requesting examinations, re-examination or opinions to evaluate disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries Reviewing claims cases to assure all issues have been addressed, applies and interprets VA laws, including Veterans' case law, existing statutes and procedures, precedent rulings and state law in the adjudication process May conduct interviews in person or by phone with Veterans, representatives and advocates to explain the full range of VA benefits and related programs Preparing and releasing correspondences for use by other federal, state and local agencies Utilizing various electronic data processing systems to input data for processing claims and generating automated correspondence. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-07/09/10. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: No. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative, 37300A, 37301A, 37233A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes
Salary
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/16/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level. For a GS-10 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS To qualify for the Veterans Service Representative (GS-0996-07/09/10) position, you must have at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience, qualifying education or a combination of the two. The following section is used to determine your job-related experience. Select the response that best represents your experience for this position. Select only one response. Do not overstate or understate your level of experience or demonstrated capability. You should be aware that your selections are subject to evaluation and verification based on the resume and other relevant documents you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your stated level of experience and demonstrated capability. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position following acceptance. To qualify for the GS-0996-07 position you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as the interpretation or application of laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make determinations and research routine issues to resolve discrepancies. Examples of experience include: Using various computer systems for data entry and maintaining/monitoring case files. Applies use of federal laws when processing compensation and benefit claims for a state or federal agency, insurance company, worker's compensation, disability, retirement or pension programs; Determines basic employment qualifications and eligibility for benefit programs OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: One full year of graduate level education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position; OR A Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (3.0 GPA or higher). Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on: 1.) class standing, 2.) grade point average or 3.) honor society membership. OR Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. To qualify for the GS-0996-09 position you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience which requires the interpretation of legal and medical documentation to determine the claimant's eligibility for services and benefits programs. Examples of specialized experience include: Determining the eligibility for Federal or State-administered benefits, such as disability, education, housing, medical, and/or Veterans' benefits; Interpreting and applying Federal and State laws, including case law, existing statutes and procedures, and precedent rulings, to process claims pertaining to a service program; Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, respond to claimant inquiries and identify errors, inconsistencies, or omissions; Explaining Federal or State claims decisions to claimants, special interest groups, dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain acceptance of the determination. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of an LL.B. or J.D. degree, if related. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. To qualify for the GS-0996-10 position you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrating competence in adjudicating Veterans' claims. Specialized experience is typically gained in positions that involve the development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims for disability compensation, disability pension, death compensation, death pension benefits, life insurance benefits, etc. Such experience is to be substantive and relevant and requires a high degree of independence and judgment in the interpretation of more complex legal and medical documentation to determine claimant's eligibility and supporting evidence for services and benefits. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: Two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D, or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit. Note: You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below. Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed. Resume, limited to 2 pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position. For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you should also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including documentation supporting Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications. Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g. Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements. Transcript if you are using education to qualify. Your transcript must show coursework and the total number of credits earned to include graduation date and degree. A diploma is NOT sufficient to determine qualifications. Additional Documents accepted: Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750) Award SF-50s CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal Documentation to be considered under non-competitive eligibility (if applicable) such as a member-4 DD-214, civil service preference letter, or Schedule A letter. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included all documents required for your application. You will not be contacted for additional information. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 07/16/2026 to receive consideration. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at: USA Jobs Help Center - Resume Page Limit Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit
