Veterans Service Representative

The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) works as an employee in the Decision Review Operations Center (DROC) or Pension Management Center (PMC). The VSR explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria analyzes claims materials identifies issues gathers relevant evidence conducts interviews adjudicates claims and inputs data necessary to generate the award and notification letter to the Veteran describing the decision and the reason for it. Specifically the VSR will:

• Make determinations as to the eligibility for the type of benefit sought to include questions relating to adequacy of military service medical evidence and the evaluation of evidence of income employability dependence and relationship
• Request examinations re-examination or opinions to evaluate disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries
• Review claims cases to assure all issues have been addressed applies and interprets VA laws including veterans case law existing statutes and procedures precedent rulings and state law in the adjudication process
• May conduct interviews in person or by phone with veterans representatives and advocates to explain the full range of VA benefits and related programs
• Prepare and release correspondence for use by other federal state and local agencies
• Utilize various electronic data processing systems to input data for processing claims and generating automated correspondence.

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-07/09/10.

Work Schedule: Full time Monday through Friday 7:00am-3:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not 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 40273A 40306A 40307A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit: Yes

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you may have to serve a 1-year probationary 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.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• 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
• Required to attend an 8 week training session which may require travel.
• VSR Skill Certification required at the GS-10 level
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

• For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.
• 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.

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.

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

GS-07 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as the interpretation or application of laws regulations or procedures to analyze evidence to make determinations and research routine issues to resolve discrepancies. Examples of experience include:

• Technical assignments related to claims or benefits processing or eligibility determinations.
• Quality assurance or auditor functions
• Compiling income and legal documentation to determine basic eligibility for benefits or programs.
• Claims processing for: A state or federal agency Insurance company Workers Compensation Disability Retirement or Pension Program.
• Human Resource positions which involved determining employment qualifications job classification or determining eligibility for benefits.
• Positions involved in assisting veterans with claims application

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• One (1) full year of graduate level education or a Bachelors degree with Superior Academic Achievement (3.0 GPA or higher)
• Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on: 1) class standing 2) grade point average or 3) honor society membership. For more information on calculating SAA please visit .

OR

Combination of Experience and Education: A combination of successfully completed post high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To calculate first identify your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required; then determine your education as a percentage of the education required; then add the two percentages. The total of percentages must equal 100% to qualify.

GS-09 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as experience which required interpretation of legal and medical documentation to determine claimants eligibility for services and benefits programs. Examples of specialized 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.
• Interpreting and applying Federal and State laws including case law existing statutes and procedures and precedent rulings to process claims pertaining to a service program.
• Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files respond to claimant inquires and identify errors inconsistencies or omissions.
• Explaining Federal or State claims decisions to claimants special interest groups dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain acceptance of the determination.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• A masters or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; OR Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a masters or equivalent graduate degree (such as LL.B. or J.D.)

OR

Equivalent combinations of Specialized Experience and Graduate-level education (To compute divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.) To be creditable such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities (see Competencies in the Requirements section) necessary to do the work.

GS-10 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher. Specialized experience is that which demonstrates competence in adjudicating Veterans claims. Specialized experience is typically gained in positions that have involved 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 requires a high degree of independence and judgment in interpretation of more complex legal and medical documentation to determine claimants eligibility and supporting evidence for services and benefits.

OR

Two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. To be creditable such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities (see Competencies in the Requirements section) necessary to do the work.
Note: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-10. (i.e. The applicants first year of graduate study is not qualifying for GS-9.).

OR

Equivalent combinations of Specialized Experience and Graduate Education. (To compute divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify).


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.

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.

Physical Requirements:The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary; however there may be some walking standing and carrying of light items.

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