Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)
Indianapolis, IN - USA
Job Summary
As a Veterans Service Representative(VSR) (Authorizer) you will play a vital role in ensuring Veterans receive the compassionate care and benefits they deserve. You will oversee complex benefit claims explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria provide final decisions on compensation and pension claims. This position may be located in either the Veteran Service Center the Benefit Eligibility Support Team or Integrated Disability Evaluation System within the listed VBA Regional Offices.
- Serving as the primary authorizer for unusually complex claims including terminations and disallowed benefits.
- Providing second-signature approval on high-level administrative decisions to ensure technical accuracy and completeness.
- Analyzing and decide on complex military service claims - such as character of discharge presumed death line-of-duty determinations and fraud.
- Reviewing decisions prepared by Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs) ensuring clarity thoroughness and empathetic wording.
- Clearly explaining final complex decisions to Veterans via mail phone or in-person.
- Drafting Statements of the Case (SOC) for authorization appeals and guide Veterans through post-decision processes.
- Accurately entering adjudication data in electronic systems generate award notifications and issue benefits payment decisions.
- Reviewing incoming case documentation perform routing or take action as appropriate on mail evidence.
This is not a virtual or remote position.
Promotion Potential: This position is being recruited at the full performance level GS-11.
Work Schedule: Full time Monday through Friday: 8am to 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the hiring office
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.
Position Description/PD#: 02105A
Bargaining Unit: This position is in the bargaining unit
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
- 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 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 ( 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.
To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 07/21/2026.
Time-in-Grade:
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.
For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 grade level.
To support your claim of time in grade you must submit your most recent appointment promotion or within grade increase SF-50. Some applicants may have to submit more than one SF-50 to demonstrate their eligibility. See the required documents section for more information.
Specialized Experience:
To qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-10) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes experience that demonstrates competence in adjudicating and authorizing Veterans claims. Specialized experience is typically gained in positions that have involved experience in 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 may have been gained in the practice of law or working with a Federal or state agency insurance company retirement disability or insurance program.
OR
Applicants may substitute education for experience to qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M if related. This graduate education (or completed degree) must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) to do the work for this position. Note: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
OR
Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants may combine specialized experience and education beyond two full years of graduate level education. If you have some but not all of the graduate education described above AND less than one full year of the specialized experience described above you may qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11. To calculate first identify the education you have earned beyond your first two years of study as a percentage of a total of three years of study. Then identify the number of months of specialized experience you have as a percentage of 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to be qualifying. For example an applicant who has 45 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required beyond the first two years) and who has 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the one year of specialized experience required) would meet 100% and thus be qualified for the position. Note: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: 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.
For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at 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: 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:
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) for more 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.
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.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced /VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice your most recent performance rating and your most recent SF-50 noting current position grade level and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website at Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment change to lower grade transfer appointment or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA career development services for our existing Veterans and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
For more information on the Who may apply eligibility requirements please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.