Training Specialist

Major duties of the position include but are not limited to:

• Performs work in the development of courses for instructional training programs on the TMS Platform. Participates substantially in coursework development or modification and develops complete full-length courses in well-established areas of a subject matter field. Develop or adapt new or revised training or testing materials for formal course use. Conducts studies and perform analyses on course-related subjects and/or coordinates activities involving programs of instruction.
• Performs work involving modification (changes/updates) of course materials on TMS platform and plans for specific audiences. Determines the need for additional subject-matter information and meetings with representatives within or outside the organization to obtain it.
  Develop new training or testing materials for formal course use. Produces complete self-contained training products (courses aids methods training plans etc.) based on analyses and studies.
• Determines learning objectives analyzes learning problems selects teaching strategies using appropriate models develops course plans and creates assessment tools. Instructs courses in a Program of Instruction. Responsible for courses covering both standard pre-structured and advanced technical systems or subject matter areas. Responsible for overall maintenance of assigned courses and determines the need for and initiates changes/updates in course content. Adapts or revises courses as needed because of subject matter or student problems..
• Create update and evaluate training courses and materials determining learning objectives designing instructional strategies developing assessments and instructing courses when required. Adapt or revise materials due to changes in subject matter student needs or instructional methodologies.
• Plans promotes and develops educational programs and projects by stimulating activity and providing direction. Designs a program for the area of assignment by analyzing the need for personnel facilities supplies and materials prepares a program plan and provides ongoing advice and assistance in the programs implementation. Plans and develops educational programs and/or projects where the program is of moderate size and complexity with occasional complex problems or issues.
• Coordinates education program/project activities such as meetings conferences information gathering and conducting negotiations for various aspects of the program/project. These programs are both within and outside the agency.
• Develops and maintains the Education SharePoint. Provides technical consultation and guidance for Education staff regarding the development maintenance and improvement of the service SharePoint site..
• Functions as a facility domain manager for the TMS educational package. This system houses each employees official education and training record as well as serving as the mechanism for providing computer-based training for employees. As a resident TMS
  authority the Program Specialist will assist in identifying issues and problems associated with these programs and systems and using initiative will implement alternative solutions based on expert knowledge. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring proper implementation of updates and changes in the package. Fields calls from all levels of TMS users requiring assistance and provides solutions to problem issues.
• Provides technical assistance to those who are developing computer and software training material for targeted audiences that may vary from highly targeted audiences to those that may be mandatory for all employees. Assistance may include determining that material is presented at appropriate educational levels to be pertinent to the target audience and that a variety of training modes are considered to maximize training effectiveness.
• Performs work associated with the evaluation of courses and programs in training areas. Develop recommendations for course revisions. Performs duties involving the instruction of training course or the modification of course content and/or materials.

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

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Schedule may be subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.
Telework: This position may be authorized for some ad-hoc (short term or episodic) telework only per Agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Training Specialist/PD944260 and PD944250
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.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 09/14/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.

Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): The 1712 occupational series requires specific education or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. This IOR is set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and one of the following must be met:

• IOR Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study in Education or a subject area related to the position to be filled. OR
• IOR Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge of the subject area of the position and of the methods and techniques of instruction. Examples of qualifying IOR Specialized Experience includes:

1. Teaching or instructing in an adult education program secondary school college military installation or industrial establishment in the appropriate field(s)
2. Supervising or administering a training program
3. Development or review of training/course materials aids devices etc. and evaluation of training results
4. Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others on a regular basis
5. In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements you must meet the experience and/or education as described below:

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
GS-09 Experience/Education:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS 09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Knowledge and understanding of the full range of training support functions and operations such as: performance evaluation updating required training maintaining accurate records training plan development etc. OR
• Education: 2 (two) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree or masters or equivalent graduate degree. Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university meets the requirements for positions at GS-7 through GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work. OR
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond one (1) year of graduate education. To calculate first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting you cannot use the first year of graduate education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify;

GS-11 Experience/Education:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS 9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Knowledge and understanding of the full range of training support functions and operations such as: performance evaluation updating required training maintaining accurate records training plan development etc. OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. if related. Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university in the amounts shown in the table meets the requirements for positions at GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work. OR
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond two (2) years of graduate education. To calculate first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting you cannot use the first year of graduate education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

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.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity keen hearing clear distinctive speech and manual dexterity. This position is primarily sedentary but may require potentially long periods of continued walking standing stooping sitting bending pulling and pushing. Work also involves some carrying and transporting of books library materials files and/or office supplies driving an automobile etc. Fieldwork may involve traveling to outlying Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) meetings and sources of information. Transferring objects supplies and program materials throughout the Medical Center may be required. Work is usually performed sitting at a desk in conferences and meetings. Some light physical exertion is necessary. The incumbent must be a mature flexible sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations able to shift priorities based on program needs.

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