Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens

Benefits & Records Technicians perform a variety of activities involving analyzing, investigating, identifying, coding, reconciling, updating and adjusting earnings data reported by employers, and benefit data reported by recipients and representative payees. Examples of such activities include:
-Review and categorize incoming correspondence;
-Examine incoming documents and forms to determine acceptability for further processing;
-Identify and resolve discrepancies for a wide variety of completed forms and reports;
-Initiate and receive direct contact calls from various government agencies, beneficiaries, their representatives, wage earners, and the general public;
-Initiate and receive direct contact calls and/or correspondence to report on progress, resolve problems, clarify, exchange, obtain or provide information, and advance a better understanding of SSA programs;
-Access computer systems, personal computer, and other related computer equipment for various records and reports;
-Enter, correct, and update data in automated systems for management information reporting purposes;
-Distribute completed work in accordance with specific workload procedures to the appropriate SSA components and other government agencies;
-Follow applicable procedures governing the release of confidential information;
-Prepare complex and detailed written reports needed by other government agencies and subsequent operations to accompany the source document for further processing;
-Apply individual judgment to identify, evaluate and resolve nonstandard requests or replies utilizing different and often unrelated steps, processes and/or methods.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required.
• Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results.
• Selectees are required to serve a 1 year probationary period.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
• Selectees will be required to attend and successfully complete, formal technical training onsite at the designated SSA facility.
• Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Qualifications

If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:

GS-5: 52 weeks of full-time experience that demonstrates experience applying rules, policies, or procedures to provide customer assistance, answering or asking customer questions to obtain or provide information, and using a computer to enter data.

GS-6: 52 weeks of full-time specialized experience performing all or most of the following tasks: 1) Operating a personal computer and utilizing software such as entering and retrieving data, editing, making record changes, verifying information; 2) Applying rules, regulations and written guidelines to work assignments, such as reviewing, verifying, evaluating applications, claims, documents, forms, etc., to determine acceptability for processing; 3) Maintain workload data and monitors workloads to ensure timeframes are met; 4) Communicating orally with the public to provide or obtain information; 5) Writing correspondence/reports such as responding to inquiries or requests for information.

Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period), you will be credited with 6 months of experience.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12962402

You must also submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.

Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered per OPM's new resume guidance. To be considered, your resume must:

• Clearly demonstrate your qualifications for the position
• Include your contact information

We recommend using a clear, easy-to-read format and focusing on information most relevant to the job announcement.

RESUME: You must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position being filled, including any positive education requirements and/or selective placement factors. All applicants must submit a resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. Your resume must provide specific details as to how your experience meets the qualifications for the posted position(s). When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific; we will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee) and month, day, and year that you began and ended each position held. Without this information, the experience gained while in that position may not be credited toward meeting the qualifications requirements. The resume should indicate if the work is full-time or part-time. Part-time work is prorated (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience).

For additional information see: What to include in your resume

Experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. You resume must provide context and sufficient detail of your experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.

PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Candidates must also provide:

• proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
• proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.

For more information visit http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Veteran's preference does not apply under this Direct Hire Authority.

Next steps