Summary
A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Congressional Fellow is a mid- to senior-level VA professional placed in a House, Senate, or committee office to shape veterans' healthcare policy, improve benefits delivery, and bridge communication between the executive and legislative branches. Managed by the VA Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA), this one-year placement utilizes the fellow's hands-on agency expertise to serve U.S. Congress.
This job is open to
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
Clarification from the agency
Only open to current permanent Title 5 VA employees. Eligible employees must be at least GS-12 to GS-14 grade levels. Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 employees are not currently eligible for the program. You must receive written Approval from 1st line supervisor and Executive Leadership Team to be considered for this detail. You must upload that approval email at the time of application to be considered for this detail opportunity.
Duties
***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION OR REMOTE POSITION. YOU MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RETURN TO OFFICE POLICY AND BE WILLING TO WORK ON SITE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.***
This is an employee developmental program which is utilizing USA Jobs to accept and screen applications. You will stay in your current grade. You will not be reassigned, changed to a lower grade or promoted. Your current office will remain in charge of reporting your time and attendance.
The selected fellow will serve a 12-month placement on Capitol Hill from January 2027 through December 2027. Following the completion of this term, there is an opportunity for a three to six month follow-on detail assignment, subject to the approval of the fellow's home-office.
The statement of duties for a VA Fellow may include, but are not limited to the following:
Legislative Strategy & Policy Development
- Strategic Advising: Provide the Member of Congress with specialized insight into VA operations and/or agency workflow.
- Policy Portfolio Management: Serve as the lead or co-lead staffer on a specific legislative portfolio matching the fellow's technical expertise.
- Statutory Drafting: Author original bill text, formal amendments, and policy resolutions for introduction on the House or Senate floor.
- Vote Recommendations: Analyze incoming floor legislation and provide the Member with timely vote recommendations and background memos.
- Coalition Building: Negotiate text and build bipartisan coalitions with outside stakeholders, federal agencies, and cross-chamber staff.
Committee & Oversight Operations
- Hearing Preparation: Formulate strategic oversight questions, vet expert witnesses, and draft opening statements for committee hearings.
- Investigations: Conduct deep-dive policy investigations, review agency data, and draft comprehensive oversight reports.
Communications & Constituent Engagement
- Speechwriting: Draft floor speeches, official statements for the Congressional Record, and talking points for media appearances.
- Stakeholder Relations: Represent the office in meetings with constituents, advocacy groups, and executive branch officials.
- Casework Acceleration: Interface with the office's caseworkers to help resolve complex constituent issues involving VA benefits, appeals, and medical center care.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm EST.
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This detail opportunity is not virtual
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Permanent Career or Career Conditional VA employees, who are GS-12 through GS-14 with strong written and oral communication abilities and a keen sense to detail, are invited to apply. Parent organizations are responsible for funding costs associated with selected candidates. The ideal candidate is an employee who meets the eligibility criteria and works in the Washington, DC area.
Qualifications
To qualify for this detail, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/15/2026.
Permanent VA employees with at least two years of service working for the Department of Veterans Affairs, who are GS-12 through GS-14 with strong written and oral communication abilities and a keen sense to detail, are encouraged to apply.
The application must contain:
- Two Page Resume
- Two References
- Written Approval from 1st line supervisor and Executive Leadership Team (e.g. VACO applicant needs approval from Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary or equivalent, Medical Center applicant needs approval from Medical Center Director, etc.)
- Latest Performance Plan
- Written Statement (Provide a one-page statement covering two key areas: why you are interested in this role and what specific skills, experiences, and value you will bring to this internship.)
Incomplete application packages will not be considered.
Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 employees are not currently eligible for the program.
Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary, but some travel may be required.
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.
Additional information
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.
For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration (HRA) at The Fair Chance Act.
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 the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:
- Accountability
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Influencing/Negotiating
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Political Saavy
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Strategic Thinking
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
A resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or a civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade. IMPORTANT NOTE: Only
two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Area of Consideration: Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
- All current, permanent VA Employees (Title 5 only) GS-12 to GS-14
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- 2 References
- Written Approval from 1st line supervisor and Executive Leadership Team (e.g. VACO applicant needs approval from Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary or equivalent, Medical Center applicant needs approval from Medical Center Director, etc.)
- Written Statement (Provide a one-page statement covering two key areas: why you are interested in this role and what specific skills, experiences, and value you will bring to this internship.)
- Performance Appraisal
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Resume, most recent SF-50, and current supervisor's approval to be considered for this detail.
- Cover Letter
- Other (1)
- 2 References
- Written Approval from 1st line supervisor and Executive Leadership Team (e.g. VACO applicant needs approval from Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary or equivalent, Medical Center applicant needs approval from Medical Center Director, etc.)
- Written Statement (Provide a one-page statement covering two key areas: why you are interested in this role and what specific skills, experiences, and value you will bring to this internship.)
- Performance Appraisal
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/15/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13050813.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 09/15/2026.
- If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
- Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
- Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
- Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
- Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:
- Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
- Use concise, results focused language
- Align language from the job announcement
- Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
- Remove outdated or unrelated experience
- Use the USAJOBS resume builder
Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at:https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account,
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position.
Next steps
The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a final selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.