Veterans Service Representative

Veterans Benefits Administration; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) serves in the Veterans Service Center and explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria. The role analyzes claims materials, identifies issues, gathers evidence, conducts interviews, adjudicates claims, and prepares the award notification letter describing the decision and rationale.

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date 09/03/2026. The position emphasizes careful review of documentation, accurate data entry, and clear

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience interpreting laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence and make determinations.
• Education can substitute experience: one year of graduate education or a Bachelor's degree with SAA.
• Time-in-grade requirements apply to current/former federal employees and VBA employees seeking reassignment or promotion.

Responsibilities

• Explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria to claimants.
• Analyze claims materials, identify issues, and gather relevant evidence.
• Conduct interviews and adjudicate claims, preparing the award notification letter with the decision and rationale.

Skills

Explain benefits programs

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) works as an employee in the Veterans Service Center (VSC). The VSR explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, analyzes claims materials, identifies issues, gathers relevant evidence, conducts interviews, adjudicates claims, and inputs data necessary to generate the award and notification letter to the veteran describing the decision and the reason for it.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 09/03/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT

Applicants who are current/former Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.
• 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.
• 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-10.

The grade may have been in any occupation and 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. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status (career, career-conditional, or excepted service), time-in-grade requirements have been met, and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate possession of time-in-grade requirements. In this instance, you must also submit your most recent Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50, or a Promotion or Within Grade Increase SF-50 that indicates the highest grade/step previously held. DO NOT submit Award SF-50s and/or General Adjustment SF-50s as they cannot be used to verify 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

GS-07 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as the interpretation or application of laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make determinations and research routine issues to resolve discrepancies. Examples of experience include:

• Using various computer systems for data entry and maintaining/monitoring case files;
• Applies use of federal laws when processing compensation and benefit claims for a state or federal agency, insurance company, worker's compensation, disability, retirement, or pension program;
• Determines basic employment qualifications and eligibility for benefit programs.

OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• One (1) full year of graduate level education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position; OR
• A Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (3.0 GPA or higher). Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on: 1) class standing, 2) grade point average, or 3) honor society membership. For more information on calculating SAA please visit www.opm.gov.

GS-09 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as experience which required the interpretation of legal and medical documentation to determine the claimant's eligibility for services and benefits programs. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Determining the eligibility for Federal or State-administered benefits, such as disability, education, housing, medical, and/or veterans' benefits;
• Interpreting and applying Federal and State laws, including case law, existing statutes and procedures, and precedent rulings to process claims pertaining to a service program;
• Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, respond to claimant inquires, and identify errors, inconsistencies, or omissions;
• Explaining Federal or State claims decisions to claimants, special interest groups, dependents, and/or representatives in an effort to gain acceptance of the determination.

OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; OR
• 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of an LL.B. or J.D degree, if related. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position.

GS-10 Grade Level

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher. Specialized experience is that which demonstrates competence in adjudicating veterans' claims. Specialized experience is typically gained in positions that have involved the development, examination, investigation, adjudication, and authorization of claims for disability compensation, disability pension, death compensation, death pension benefits, life insurance benefits, etc. Such experience is to be substantive and relevant and requires a high degree of independence and judgment in the interpretation of more complex legal and medical documentation to determine claimant's eligibility and supporting evidence for services and benefits.

OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have:

• Two and a half years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position.

Combining Education & Experience

Click here for more information.

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; religious; 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. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements

The position is primarily in an office setting. Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings, or customer interactions.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.