Veterans Service Representative (Rating)

This position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration. The Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) works as an employee in the Veterans Service Center (VSC) or Pension Management Center (PMC), or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Program Division.

EDUCATION: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications .

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. RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs. The Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) works as an employee in the Veterans Service Center (VSC) or Pension Management Center (PMC), or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Program Division. The Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) works as a member of the Intake Processing Center or in special missions of the Veterans Service Center. They serve as a decision maker for claims involving rating decisions. They determine service connection, percentage of disability, permanent and total disability, entitlement to compensation, pension, vocational training, medical and dental treatment, automobiles, or other conveyances, insurance, specially adapted housing, dependent education allowances, and other ancillary benefits. Specifically, the RVSR will:

Analyzing claims to determine if diseases and injuries were incurred in or aggravated by the military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, hospital treatment, prosthetic appliances, and related employment and compensation benefits.

Determine a need for examinations or re-examinations for observations of Veterans and their dependents and the character of such examinations.

Determine the permanent incapacity and/or the competency of Veterans and their dependents.

Apply VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule) and prepare rating decisions informing the Veterans Service Representative and/or claimant of the decision and reasons and basis for it.

As dictated by the circumstances of the claims case, may directly communicate and interact with Veterans and their representatives/advocates.

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-09/10/11/12.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative (Rating), 32104A, 22104A, 12104A, 02104A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Bargaining Unit: Yes

QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/05/2026.

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-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.

For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level.

For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 level

If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-09 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-12.

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.

Note : Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience gathering or requesting evidence to respond to claimant inquiries for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as but not limited to: burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs. Example of experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, respond to claimant inquiries, and identify errors, inconsistencies, or omissions.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-9 grade level.

Master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related (You must provide transcripts); OR

Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related (You must provide transcripts)

GS-10 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as (1) assisting claimants with applications for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as but not limited to: burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs; AND (2) identifying errors, inconsistencies, or omissions in federal or state-administered benefits request package. Example of experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

Explaining decisions to claimants, customers, special interest groups, dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain understanding of determinations

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-10 grade level.

Two and a half (2.5) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a Ph.D., LL.M. or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. (You must provide transcripts)

GS-11 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-10 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as (1) explaining federal or state-administered benefits decisions to claimants to help them gain an understanding of claim determinations; AND (2) evaluating evidence and allegations to draw sound conclusions regarding benefit claims. Examples of experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

Determining the eligibility for federal or state-administered benefits, such as: disability, education, housing, medical and/or veterans' benefits.

Applying federal and state laws to process claims pertaining to a service, disability, or benefit program.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-11 grade level.

Education substitution of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree (You must provide transcripts); OR

Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related. (You must provide transcripts)

GS-09, GS-10 and GS-11 : 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 .

GS-12 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as (1) determining the eligibility for federal, state, or local administered benefits, such as: disability, education, housing, medical and/or veterans' benefits; AND (2) applying federal or state laws to process claims pertaining to an employment, disability, or benefit program. Examples of experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

Processing claims for eligibility for workers' compensation benefits to determine appropriateness and amount of worker's compensation claims.

Performing, ordering and/or evaluating diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition, report symptoms or changes in patients' condition, maintain accurate detailed reports/charts.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level.

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. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; and carrying of light items, such as papers or books.

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/.

SALARY: QuantitativeValue EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Other