Decision Review Officer.

Veterans Benefits Administration; SeaTac (WA); Sur place; USD 85 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Veterans Benefits Administration in the United States is seeking a seasoned Decision Review Officer to lead complex disability claims adjudication. You will review and determine benefits, conduct impartial re‑reviews, and participate in hearings to gather necessary evidence.

The role emphasizes policy interpretation and timely benefit delivery. The position includes mentoring junior staff, contributing to process improvements, and serving as a technical advisor to management.

Qualifications

• Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
• Examples Of Specialized Experience Include: Development, examination, investigation and decision making for complex claims for disability compensation; Exercising independent judgment in applying claims determinations; Evaluating the claims development process and operations to determine the effectiveness in meeting established goals and objectives; Preparing or conducting training activities.

Responsabilités

• This federal role involves reviewing and making determinations on veterans' benefits claims in accordance with laws and regulations.
• It includes impartial reviews of adjudicated claims, handling appeals, and requests for reconsideration.
• The position may involve holding hearings or conferences with veterans and representatives to clarify issues and gather evidence.
• It requires analyzing complex case files, interpreting statutes and policies, and preparing detailed written decisions supporting outcomes.
• You will mentor staff on claims processing and adjudication procedures and contribute to process improvements within the Veterans Benefits Administration.

Description du poste

Duties

• Reviews and make determinations on veterans' benefits claims, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Conducts impartial reviews of previously adjudicated claims, including appeals and requests for reconsideration.
• Holds hearings or conferences with veterans and their representatives to clarify issues and gather additional evidence as needed.
• Analyzes complex case files and interpret relevant statutes, regulations, and policies.
• Prepares detailed written decisions and documentation supporting claim outcomes.
• Ensures the timely and accurate delivery of benefits to veterans.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to less experienced staff regarding claims processing and adjudication procedures.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of claims review processes within the Veterans Benefits Administration.
• Interacts with supervisory personnel through discussion of individual claims that have been reviewed.
• Serves as a technical advisor to DRAS management and team leaders. May provide training as needed.
• Reviews existing procedures and directives to detect contradictory instructions and deficiencies.
• Provides periodic assessments to division management on the quality of the work produced by rating personnel, including trainees.

Specific Duties Include

• Reviews and make determinations on veterans' benefits claims, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Conducts impartial reviews of previously adjudicated claims, including appeals and requests for reconsideration.
• Holds hearings or conferences with veterans and their representatives to clarify issues and gather additional evidence as needed.
• Analyzes complex case files and interpret relevant statutes, regulations, and policies.
• Prepares detailed written decisions and documentation supporting claim outcomes.
• Ensures the timely and accurate delivery of benefits to veterans.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to less experienced staff regarding claims processing and adjudication procedures.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of claims review processes within the Veterans Benefits Administration.
• Interacts with supervisory personnel through discussion of individual claims that have been reviewed.
• Serves as a technical advisor to DRAS management and team leaders. May provide training as needed.
• Reviews existing procedures and directives to detect contradictory instructions and deficiencies.
• Provides periodic assessments to division management on the quality of the work produced by rating personnel, including trainees.

Promotion Potential

This position is at the full performance level.

Work Schedule

7:30am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday

Compressed/Flexible

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#

Decision Review Officer; PD42084A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized.

Financial Disclosure Report

Not Required.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In 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;
• 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 or trial period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• 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:11/13/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 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 announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GS-13 Grade Level

Specialized Experience

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized Experience should be substantive and relevant and may have been gained in the federal, military, or private sector, functioning in either a capacity performing training, analyst or information systems duties of a claims management process.

Examples Of Specialized Experience Include

• Development, examination, investigation and decision making for complex claims for disability compensation
• Exercising independent judgment in applying claims determinations
• Evaluating the claims development process and operations to determine the effectiveness in meeting established goals and objectives
• Preparing or conducting training activities

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 physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Placement Policy

The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members

Please visit the

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act

The Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP),

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review:

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.