Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer).

About the role

This position is located in a Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) and Veterans Service Center. The incumbent serves as Veterans Service Representative (Developer and/or Authorizer) for a Claims Team within a Section of the Veterans Service Center.

Responsibilities

• Review development or authorization of a full range of claims of a larger scope of responsibility which are usually complex cases or those of a very sensitive nature involving novel issues, to include any appellate reviews related to contested claims.
• Serve as a team mentor to lower-graded VSRs providing a comprehensive level of technical advice and guidance on authorization issues.
• Responsible for analyzing data associated with program reviews.
• Support team efforts by analysis of workload and recommend strategies for workload management.
• Have final signature authority to rate and award, terminate, amend, or disallow benefits on unusually complex claims.
• Analyze, develop, and request required evidence for claims not requiring a rating decision.
• Develop various quality assurance processes with emphasis on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices.
• Make determinations on questions relating to adequacy of military service, of medical evidence and lay testimony to establish a claim.
• Evaluate evidence of income, net worth, employability, dependency and relationship.
• Develop methods for mentoring members of the team on technical aspects of the job in a manner which addresses individual learning needs and effectively offers feedback to identify and correct deficient areas.
• Plan, develop, and conduct benefits-related training programs for staff.

Requirements

• 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 (1-year probationary period as a condition of employment).
• 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. Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 09/01/2026.

Time-in-Grade Requirement: As a current Federal GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-11 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least 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 announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Specialized Experience (GS-11): You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as experience equivalent to the GS-10 level in the Federal service related to compensation and/or pension to review disabilities evaluations and/or ratings. This includes applying federal, state, and local laws regarding benefit programs in order to conduct interviews, gather evidence, adjudication claims, and discuss results and answer questions with claimant. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Understanding and interpreting medical reports, and other medical evidence to include expert opinions;
• Evaluating medical evidence and allegations while drawing sound conclusions; and
• Collaborating with Veterans Service Representatives or Decisions Review Officers, Veterans Service Organizations and Veterans or other individuals as necessary to assure proper decisions are made.

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree/LL.M., if related (you must provide a transcript).

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. Only education beyond the first 36 hours of graduate study may be used to combine with experience.

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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

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.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Note: You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.

Pay & Schedule

• Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
• 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 (Authorizer), 02105A
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
• Bargaining Unit: Yes
• Promotion Potential: None