Veterans Affairs, Inspector General Logo
Position Title
PROGRAM SPECIALIST
Agency
Veterans Affairs, Inspector General
Announcement Number
12740634 Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 to Tuesday, June 10, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a surplus or displaced Federal employee eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)?  Click CTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
(limit characters)
3. Are you a displaced Federal employee eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)?  Click ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
(limit characters)
4. Are you a current Excepted Service employee of a Federal Agency covered by an OPM Interchange agreement that conveys noncompetitive eligibility?

For more information, review Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems.  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=InterchangeAgreementsWithOtherMeritSystems

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status. 
(limit characters)
5. Are you eligible for competitive consideration under any of the following merit promotion categories?
  • Current Federal civilian employee in the Competitive service on a permanent career or career-conditional appointment
  • Current Excepted service employee covered by an Interchange Agreement
  • Former Federal employee with Reinstatement eligibility
  • Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA)
  • Current Federal employee serving on a VRA appointment
  • Land Management Employee eligible under Public Law 114-47
  • Other competitive category not listed above (you must submit proof of eligibility)
(limit characters)
6. Are you eligible to be appointed under the Military Spouse Noncompetitive Appointing Authority based on any of the following categories?
  • You are the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces.
  • You are the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired with a disability rating at the time of retirement of 100 percent or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • You are the widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while in active duty status, and you have not re-married.
For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources. (https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans)
(limit characters)
7. Are you a former federal employee that has been separated for at least one full year and is eligible to be non-competitively reinstated to a higher grade or full-performance level than which you left federal employment?
(Note: you MUST provide:  1) a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2"); AND 2) the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.)
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8. Do you currently hold (or have you previously held) on a permanent basis, a position in the competitive service (or in another merit system with which OPM has an interchange agreement), with promotion potential equivalent to (or higher than) the full performance level of the position advertised in this vacancy announcement?
(limit characters)
9. Are you eligible under any other miscellaneous appointing authority not listed thus far, such as (but not all inclusive to):
  • Postal Career Service Employee;
  • Postal Rate Commission Employee;
  • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; 
  • Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee; or 
  • Foreign overseas employee or eligible family member of former overseas employee
 For more information, review Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated By U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=MiscellaneousAuthoritiesNotRegulated .  To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status. 

For more information on Foreign overseas employment please review the following: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#NontemporaryForeignService or https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/family-member-employment/family-member-employment-in-the-d-c-area/non-competitive-eligibility-nce/#NCE5
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10. Are you eligible for consideration as a Peace Corps, VISTA, or Action volunteer?  If you select this option, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility by submitting proof of employment from the appropriate agency with your completed application.
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11. Do you have a severe physical, psychiatric or mental disability that qualifies you for a Schedule A Disability appointment?

For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must provide appropriate medical documentation, i.e., a letter signed by a licensed medical professional or licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist stating your condition and restrictions.
(limit characters)
12. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and you:

• recently separated (within the past 3 years)
• are a disabled veteran
• served on active duty during a war, campaign or expedition OR
• received an Armed Forces Service Medal

If eligible, submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, provide the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
(limit characters)
13. Reasonable Accommodations for taking the online assessments are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Do you have a disability (physical or mental) that you believe will interfere with completing the online assessments and require a Reasonable Accommodation?

(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Are you currently serving or have served in the last five years in a Political Appointment in the Federal Government? (limit characters)
3. Would you like the opportunity to be considered for similar positions that require the same knowledge, skills and abilities? (limit characters)
4. If you were born a male after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, have you registered with the Selective Service System (select "Not applicable" if this question does not apply to you)? (limit characters)
5. Are you a current Federal employee?
(limit characters)
6. If you are, or ever were a Federal civilian employee, indicate the pay plan and grade level or pay band of the highest graded position you have ever held.
(limit 250 characters)
Performance Appraisal
1. As outlined in the vacancy announcement, you must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If you have not submitted an appraisal meeting these requirements, you must explain why you are unable to do so. If you do not provide a copy of the performance appraisal, or a statement advising why it is unavailable, you will be removed from further consideration. Type "yes" in the text box below if you are providing a performance appraisal meeting the above requirements with your application. If you are unable to provide a performance appraisal with your application, please provide a reason in the text box below. (This is required of all applicants regardless of prior federal service. "N/A" is not considered an acceptable response.) (limit characters)
Assessment 1
For the GS-9: Specialized experience is one year of experience at the GS-7 level or equivalent, which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position must include:
-Receiving and reviewing complaints from internal or external stakeholders; AND
-Analyzing complaints and making recommendations for appropriate referrals in regards to an agency's mission, goals, and objectives.

OR

EDUCATION: A related master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. Attach a copy of transcripts or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit.

OR

Combination of experience and education. This is creditable providing the combination consists of 100% of the requirement. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. Attach a copy of transcripts or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit.


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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. Do you meet the specialized experience as described above? (limit characters)
2. Please specify where the specialized experience is documented in your resume. (limit 300 characters)
3. Describe your experience with determining strategies for dealing with complainants (limit characters)
4. Choose the statement(s) that describe your interpersonal communication skills. (limit characters)
5. To ensure you receive proper credit, please list where this experience is clearly documented in your resume. (limit 300 characters)
6. From the list below, select all of the following documents, that are sensitive and/or controversial (e.g. medical condition, negative personnel matter, senior management/leadership decision)in nature, that you have prepared for a wide range of individuals both within and outside of an organization: (limit characters)
7. From the list below select the type of sources you have reviewed and synopsized: (limit characters)
8. I have experience with the following in order to apply new research avenues and methodologies: (limit characters)
9. Please select all types of complaints you have experience with: (limit characters)
10. Please select all steps you have experience taking in dealing with complaints: (limit characters)
11. Please select the type(s) of allegations subjects that your complaint experience is related to: (limit characters)
12. Select all of the responses that describe your experience: (limit characters)
13. To ensure you receive proper credit, please list where this experience is clearly documented in your resume. (limit 300 characters)
14. Describe your demonstrated capabilities: (limit characters)