Veterans Service Representative (Rating).

About the role

This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs and works as a Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) within the Veterans Service Center (VSC). RVSRs serve as decision makers for claims involving rating decisions and determine service connection, disability percentages, permanent and total disability, entitlement to compensation, pension, vocational training, medical and dental treatment, automobiles or other conveyances, insurance, specially adapted housing, dependent education allowances, and other ancillary benefits.

Responsibilities

• Analyze claims to determine if diseases and injuries were incurred in or aggravated by military service for purposes of compensation, hospital treatment, prosthetic appliances, and related employment and compensation benefits.
• Determine the need for examinations or re-examinations for observations of Veterans and their dependents and the character of such examinations.
• Determine the permanent incapacity and/or the competency of Veterans and their dependents.
• Apply VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule) and prepare rating decisions informing the Veterans Service Representative and/or claimant of the decision and reasons and basis for it.
• As dictated by the circumstances of the claims case, may directly communicate and interact with Veterans and their representatives/advocates.

Requirements

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Time-in-grade requirements apply for current Federal employees.

GS-09 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level or higher, defined as experience gathering or requesting evidence to respond to claimant inquiries for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs. Example duties include gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, responding to claimant inquiries, and identifying errors, inconsistencies, or omissions.

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-09 grade level with a Master’s or equivalent graduate degree (if related) or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. (if related).

GS-10 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or higher, defined as (1) assisting claimants with applications for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs; and (2) identifying errors, inconsistencies, or omissions in federal or state-administered benefits request packages. Example duties include explaining decisions to claimants, customers, special interest groups, dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain understanding of determinations.

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-10 grade level with two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D., LL.M. or equivalent doctoral degree (if related).

GS-11 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-10 grade level or higher, defined as (1) explaining federal or state-administered benefits decisions to claimants to help them gain an understanding of claim determinations; and (2) evaluating evidence and allegations to draw sound conclusions regarding benefit claims. Example duties include determining the eligibility for federal or state-administered benefits such as disability, education, housing, medical and/or veterans’ benefits, and applying federal and state laws to process claims pertaining to a service, disability, or benefit program.

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-11 grade level with a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (if related) or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. (if related).

GS-12 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level or higher, defined as (1) determining the eligibility for federal, state, or local administered benefits such as disability, education, housing, medical and/or veterans’ benefits; and (2) applying federal or state laws to process claims pertaining to an employment, disability, or benefit program. Example duties include processing claims for eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits to determine appropriateness and amount of worker’s compensation claims, and performing, ordering and/or evaluating diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient’s condition.

Conditions of employment

• Required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which fitness and advancement of the public interest will be evaluated.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• May be required to serve a probationary or trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Required to attend an 8-week training session, which may require travel.
• RVSR Skill Certification required at the GS-12 level.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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.

Schedule

• Full time, Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.
• Telework: Eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only; 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.
• Not a virtual position.