Duties
The Legal Administrative Specialist (Public Contact Representative (PCR) (Bilingual- Spanish)) may have contacts in both English and Spanish via telephone, email, video, or chat with the public regarding the below:
- Advise and provide information on benefits and rights.
- Explain pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases.
- Assist individuals regarding how best to provide needed documents and evidence required.
- Counsel Veterans, their dependents, and survivors via assigned access channel, (telephone, email, video, or chat) concerned with Veterans.
- Explain the types of documents necessary to facilitate timely processing of claims and appeals and assists with obtaining and completing such documents and forms in accordance with the type of claim or appeal being submitted.
- Perform claim or appeal related work by providing comprehensive claim or appeal status updates using mandatory scripting requirements.
- Assist the inquirer with determining the short-term and long-term circumstances that might influence a choice between various benefits.
- Process request for change of address, establishment of, or change to direct deposit information, burial allowances, and dependency claims.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS- 05/07/09.
Work Schedule: Full time, to be determined. Duty hours vary beginning 8:00 am and ending at 9:30 pm (EST).
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Remote: This is a Remote Position.
Position Description/PD#: 34294A & 34295A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit: Yes
Requirements
Conditions of employment
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year or 2-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; and
- 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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
- 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 on 08/17/2026.
Please Note: This position has a Selective Factor that requires the applicant to be fluent in both ENGLISH and SPANISH.
To qualify for this position you must meet both the Selective Factor Requirement and the Minimum Qualifications.
SELECTIVE FACTOR:
The Selective Factor for this positionapplicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency (ability to speak, read, and write) in both English and Spanish.
You may be tested at some point in the hiring process to determine if you possess the required level of proficiency. If you are unable to demonstrate proficiency, you will not be considered for the position.
AND
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
GS 5 Qualification Requirements:
To qualify, applicants must have 3 years of general experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least a GS-4. Qualifying general experience is defined as the ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; ability to plan and organize work; and communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Note: Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work. Experience in substantive and relevant secretarial, clerical, or other responsible work may be qualifying as long as it provided evidence of the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) necessary to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Experience of a general clerical nature (typing, filing, routine procedural processing, maintaining records, or other non-specialized tasks) is not creditable. Trades or crafts experience appropriate to the position to be filled (Legal Administrative Specialist) may be creditable.
OR
Education Substitution; Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours).
OR
Applicants may combine post high school education and general experience to qualify. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the GS 5.
Note: To calculate, first identify the percentage of the required post high school education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required general experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal to at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05 grade level.
GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service). Experience must demonstrate the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, in the normal line of progression for the occupation. Specialized experience includes:
- Counseling individuals about benefits; and
- Explaining legal provisions, policy or regulations, and decisions to a variety of audiences.
OR
Education Substitution: One full year of graduate level education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position;
OR
Superior Academic Achievement: 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.
OR
A combination of graduate education and experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.
Note: 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 you document, to include volunteer experience
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a with your transcript to receive credit.
Note: You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.
Additional information
The first 100 candidates who apply will be considered for a referral to the selecting official. Additional candidates will be referred based on hiring needs.
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/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) 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 . ()
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
Receiving Service Credit for 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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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.
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.
Review our 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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE ANNOUNCEMENT. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct Hire Authority, authorized by 5 United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 3304 and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 337, Subpart B. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the Direct Hire process. Your application will be considered based on education, training, and quality of your experience.
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received. The first 100 candidates who apply will be considered for a referral to the selecting official. Additional candidates will be referred based on hiring needs.
Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required and on the extent; to which your application shows that you possess the competencies associated with this position. To determine if you are qualified for the job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation may be made and compared against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire.
USA Hire competencies based on your application for this position:
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Reasoning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
Required Documents
Documents Required:
Resume (limited to 2 pages)
- You must provide a resume detailing your specialized experience and competencies relevant to the position.
- For qualifications determinations your resume must reflect hours worked per week, the inclusive dates of employment, and the level of your experience. If your resume does not reflect this information you will not receive credit for the experience.
- If you submit more than one copy of your resume, the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application. We would recommend that you not submit more than one version of your resume.
- If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, we will not use it to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered further for the vacancy.
Documents Accepted:
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- CTAP/ICTAP
- PCS Orders
- Performance Appraisal
- Proof of Marriage Status
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Transcripts
- If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
- An unofficial transcript may be submitted; however, it must reflect the applicant's name, school name, course names, levels, credits earned, grades received, and degree conferred if applicable.
- Your transcript (official or unofficial) must reflect the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
- A photocopy of your degree is not acceptable in lieu of a transcript.
- An official transcript will be required later if you are selected for the position.
- Whenever possible it is preferable that you submit copies of official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts may lack essential information necessary for a full evaluation of your qualifications.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified Veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.