Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer)

Veterans Benefits Administration; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Benefits Administration in Sioux Falls seeks a dedicated Veterans Service Representative (Authorizer) to oversee complex benefit claims, explain eligibility, and render final decisions on compensation and pension cases. Located in the Veteran Service Center within the VBA Regional Offices, the role supports veterans with accurate, compassionate service.

Applicants must meet GS-11 level requirements, including specialized experience or education substitutions, and comply with

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in adjudicating and authorizing veterans' claims.
• Education substitution via Ph.D. or related graduate study ( transcripts required ).
• Time-in-grade and federal service requirements apply to eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Adjudicate and authorize veterans' claims.
• Explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria.
• Make final decisions on compensation and pension claims.

Skills

Adjudicating claims

Decision making

Education

PhD or equivalent doctoral degree

Graduate education LL.M related

Job description

As a Veterans Service Representative (VSR) (Authorizer), the incumbent will play a vital role in ensuring that our Veterans receive the compassionate care and benefits they deserve. You will oversee complex benefit claims, explain benefit programs and entitlement criteria, and provide final decisions on compensation and pension claims. This position is located in the Veteran Service Center within the listed VBA Regional Offices.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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 Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (unless if in the commuting area and eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority such as Schedule A, VRA, or 30% or more disabled Veterans).

• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-11 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-11.

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. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a 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-11 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrates competence in adjudicating and authorizing veterans' claims. Specialized experience is typically gained in positions that have involved experience in 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 may have been gained in the practice of law or working with a Federal or state agency, insurance company, retirement, disability, or insurance program.
• Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-11 grade level.
  • Education substitution of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree (You must provide transcripts); OR
  • Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related. (You must provide transcripts)

Combining Education & Experience

If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement.

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 is mostly Sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers or books. No Special Physical demands are required to perform the work.

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/.