Senior Lead Veterans Claims Examiner

Major Duties:

• Reviews and authorizes complex and unusual education benefit claims ensuring accurate application of laws regulations and policies; provides second-signature authorization for claims processed by GS-11 and below examiners.
• Provides technical training guidance mentorship and interpretive instructions to lower-graded Veterans Claims Examiners; performs quality reviews and ensures consistent adjudication practices.
• Evaluates complex or conflicting evidence including military service documentation from multiple components to determine sufficiency and validity in establishing benefit entitlement. Serves as final authority on unusual and complex claims requiring expert judgment.
• Independently develops facts and evidence identifies legal and factual issues researches precedent decisions applies governing laws and policies and drafts determinations notices and correspondence.
• Conducts interviews and outreach via phone in person or electronically with veterans claimants representatives school officials and DoD stakeholders

Work Schedule: Full time Monday through Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm
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 Title/PD#: Senior Veterans Claims Examiner (LEAD)/42201A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Bargaining Unit: Yes

• 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.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• 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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
• Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

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. 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.

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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below:GS-12 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes applying current laws regulations policies and procedures governing VA education benefits to adjudicate and authorize a wide range of claims; independently addressing evaluating and resolving complex or unusual cases involving conflicting or incomplete evidence; and providing technical guidance direction or formal training to lower-graded examiners. Experience also includes reviewing claims for accuracy completeness and compliance with governing criteria; communicating workload status program issues and progress to supervisory or managerial personnel; and utilizing comprehensive knowledge of VA benefit programs claims-processing requirements and related educational entitlements to ensure accurate and timely benefit delivery.

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.

The Office of Personnel Managements group coverage qualification standards associated individual occupational requirements (IOR) and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found here.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service increase worker productivity and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.