Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment & Placement)

• Developing and publishing job opportunity announcements for vacant positions in the excepted and competitive service (Title 5 Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38).
• Reviewing past postings hiring trends and position specific information to determine the most appropriate area of consideration in coordination with the hiring managers expertise.
• Auditing the certificate and reviewing the selection documentation to ensure all selections are in line with appropriate Merit System Principles and no Prohibited Personnel Practices have been committed.
• Providing consultation on wide variety of staffing concepts principles laws regulations practices and procedures directly to managers and employees on all phases of the recruitment and placement process.
• Advising management officials regarding merit principles advantages and disadvantages of various staffing methods in employee selection and ensures compliance with union agreements.
• Processing a variety of personnel actions to fill positions such as career promotions reassignments or placements.
• Working with the managers and subject matter experts to gather and prepare job assessments.
• Consulting with management on the utilization of non-competitive recruitment alternatives such as VRA 30% and Schedule A candidates.
• Responding to inquires or resolving complaints from customers.
• Researching regulations laws HRMLS and similar sources to produce researched accurate and timely responses to staffing inquiries and reports.
• Determining appropriate rating and ranking selective factors and develop crediting plans to assess varying degrees of job qualifications and explain the methodology to management.
• Reviewing candidates for minimum qualifications and eligibility requirements.
• Creating and issuing certificates of eligible candidates based on the candidates specific area of consideration and legal authority to be considered and appointed to the position.
• Making pay-setting determinations for unusual cases such as superior qualifications highest previous rate and movements between pay systems utilizing recruitment relocation and retention incentives when appropriate.

Applicant Count: This job announcement will remain open until 10/13/2026. Applications received up to 11:59pm EST on the date in which 150 applications is reached will receive first consideration (initial cutoff). Applications received after 11:59pm EST on the date in which 150 applications are received may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Additional applications will be reviewed in one-day increments at management request. Note: Submitting multiple applications will change the order in which your application is reviewed.

Work Schedule: Full-time 40 hours per week Monday - Friday.
Compressed/Flexible: Available eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad hoc is defined as occasional non-recurring telework.
Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to in person work mandate in their current position.
Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space.
Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception exemption or extension will happen after a tentative job offer but before a final job offer.
Position Description/PD#: Human Resources Specialist (Recruitment & Placement)/PD99221S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 10/13/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 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.

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

GS-12 Minimum Qualifications For the GS-12 grade levels candidates must possess either Criteria 1 - graduate degree and specialized experience or Criteria 2 - specialized experience to qualify for the specific grade level. At this grade level candidates must fully meet or exceed either Criteria 1 or Criteria 2 meaning it is not appropriate to combine Criteria 1 and Criteria 2 to qualify candidates. At this grade level applicants cannot qualify on the basis of education alone.

• Criteria 1 - Graduate Education and Specialized Experience: You must have a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level which includes Utilizing an automated system to develop job opportunity announcements make applicants qualifications determinations and create applicant lists and issue certificates; Processing a variety of requests for personnel action to fill positions and/or to career promote reassign or otherwise place employees; Setting pay and advising managers on possible pay flexibility; Determining new hire onboarding requirements; Utilizing a variety of recruitment strategies to aid in recruiting for a variety of positions. OR
• Criteria 2 - Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level which includes: Interpreting and applying human resources laws regulations and policies pertaining to recruitment and placement; Providing guidance and consultation to management on HR laws and regulations for all positions; Reviewing and processing personnel action coding in the VA personnel system and taking corrective action on personnel history errors. Advising on the procedural and regulatory requirements governing the recruitment process; Utilizing an automated recruitment system to develop job opportunity announcements make qualification determinations create applicant lists issue certificates and complete new hire onboarding requirements.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at

Required Experience:

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