Veterans Service Representative (Rating)

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs. The Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) works as an employee in the Veterans Service Center (VSC) or Pension Management Center (PMC), or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Program Division.

Duties

The Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) works as a member of the Intake Processing Center or in special missions of the Veterans Service Center. They serve as a decision maker for claims involving rating decisions. They determine service connection, percentage of disability, 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. Specifically, the RVSR will: Analyze claims to determine if diseases and injuries were incurred in or aggravated by the military service in the line of duty for purposes of compensation, hospital treatment, prosthetic appliances, and related employment and compensation benefits. Determine a 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. 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-09/10/11/12. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday (hours to be determined by hiring office) Compressed/Flexible: May be available as determined by 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative (Rating), 32104A, 22104A, 12104A, 02104A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes, for the following locations: Des Moines, IA; Wichita, KS; Fort Harrison, MT; Missoula, MT; Rapid City, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; Houston, TX; San Antonio, TX; and Cheyenne, WY. There is no bargaining unit representation for Muskogee, OK.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:09/29/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: 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 by the closing date of this announcement. 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. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 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-07 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-12. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience gathering or requesting evidence to respond to claimant inquiries for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as but not limited to: burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs. Example of experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, respond to claimant inquiries, and identify errors, inconsistencies, or omissions. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-9 grade level. Master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related (You must provide transcripts); OR Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related (You must provide transcripts) GS-10 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as (1) assisting claimants with applications for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as but not limited to: 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 package. Example of experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Explaining decisions to claimants, customers, special interest groups, dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain understanding of determinations OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-10 grade level. Two and a half (2.5) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a Ph.D., LL.M. or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. (You must provide transcripts) GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-10 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is 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. Examples of 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. Applying federal and state laws to process claims pertaining to a service, disability, or benefit program. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-1