Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to recent graduates and candidates who will receive their degree no later than June 30, 2026.

• Perform limited studies, analyze and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of a health care, health regulatory, or human services related programs, or a segment of any program, within CMS.
• Develop routine policies, guidelines, instructions, and procedures for administrative and management requirements.
• Compile data and prepare administrative status reports for review at all levels.
• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of managerial operations in meeting established goals and objectives.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply for this position.
• You must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• You must meet all program, qualification and education requirements.
• You will be subject to a background and suitability investigation.
• You must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement before starting employment.

Qualifications

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: You must be ELIGIBLE and QUALIFIED in order to be referred to Hiring Managers.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Am I considered a Recent Graduate?

GPA Requirement: You must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on the unweighted 4.0 scale upon completion of your academic degree or certificate program. (GPA 2.95 is rounded to 3.0 and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9.)

To be eligible as a Recent Graduate:

• Individuals who within the previous 2 years, completed a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Therefore, you must have completed your educational program no earlier than March 6, 2024. Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation, begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which they completed their degrees (or certification). Therefore, veterans must have completed your educational program no earlier than March 6, 2020.
• To verify your eligibility as a Recent Graduate, you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your possession of the required education. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); and (3) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major; AND (4) the date your Degree was conferred. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion at time of application will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

To be eligible as a Degree Candidate for Spring 2026:

• Individuals who are degree candidates for this current semester/term, i.e., Spring 2026, scheduled to complete a qualifying Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, professional, vocational, or technical degree or certificate program, AND the degree/certificate has not been conferred at the time of application.
• To verify your eligibility as a Degree Candidate for Spring 2026, you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your education completed to date. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); (3) current enrollment; AND (4) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major. If referred and selected, you must submit an additional unofficial transcript that confirms the date your degree was conferred before an Official Offer can be made. Degree must be conferred by June 30, 2026. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

Note: For those applying as Degree Candidates for Spring 2026, you will be required to submit an additional transcript that confirms the above major or course requirements and the date your degree was conferred. Degree requirements must be completed during the Spring 2026 semester, and the degree must be conferred by June 30, 2026. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Do I qualify at the GS-07 or GS-09 Grade Level?

In order to qualify for the GS-07, you must meet one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) Assisting staff members in analyzing the effectiveness of management or administrative programs, practices, or processes; and 2) Preparing and coordinating a variety of written products for routine policies, guidelines, procedures or instructions.
  - OR -
• Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level by possessing at least one full year of graduate-level education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended - OR -
• Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university AND one of the following provisions of superior academic achievement:
  • A grade-point average of "B" (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. For example, 2.95 is rounded to 3.0, and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9.
  • A grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in your major field of study, or those required courses in your major completed in the last two years of your undergraduate study.
  • Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision.
  • Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. - OR -
• Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at the GS-07 grade level. The percentage of your total qualifying experience the education must equal to 100% to qualify for this grade.

In order to qualify for the GS-09, you must meet one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) Evaluating the effectiveness of management or administrative programs, practices or processes; and 2) Providing recommendations for improvement of programs, practices or processes.
  - OR -
• Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level by possessing a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate degree or at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. - OR -
• Combination of Experience and Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the GS-07 grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at the GS-09 grade level. Therefore, only education in excess of one full year of graduate-level education may be used to combine education and experience.

ALL TRANSCRIPTS are required at the time of application to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement related to substitution of education for experience and combination of experience and education. Please see "Required Documents" section below on what documentation is required.

Click the following link to view the occupational questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12898311

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment 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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Recent Graduate candidates will meet the qualification requirement consistent with the OPM qualification standards applicable to the position being filled. Recent Graduate candidates who meet all requirements will be placed in one of the following categories based on category rating and selection procedures:

• Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria
• Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements

If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

The category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of professional or scientific positions at the GS-09 level or higher). Veterans' preference applies to selections made under the Pathways authority in accordance with Part 302 of 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package, which includes:

1. Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. NOTE: As of September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes that are two pages or less in length.Your resume must indicate your citizenship and whether you are registered with the Selective Service if you are a male born after December 31, 1959. Your resume must also list your work experience and education (if applicable), including the start and end dates (mm/yyyy) of each employment, along with the number of hours worked per week. For work in the Federal service, you must include the series and grade level for the position(s). Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). For resume and application tips, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include.

2. CMS Required Documents (e.g., SF-50, DD-214, SF-15, etc.). Supporting documents may be necessary to be considered for this vacancy announcement. Click here for a detailed description of the required supporting documents. Failure to provide the appropriate documentation WILL result in an ineligible rating OR non-consideration.

3. All College Transcripts. Since this position requires specific education, you must submit a transcript attesting to your possession of the required education. You must submit an unofficial transcript at the time of application. If you have preceding education, ensure that you submit ALL transcripts to potentially receive credit. An official transcript is required if you are selected for the position. If selected, you must provide an original document before the final job offer may be extended.

College Transcripts and Foreign Education: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. For a listing of services that can perform this evaluation, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services website. This list, which may not be all-inclusive, is for informational purposes only and does not imply any endorsement of any specific agency.

4. 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, along with the appropriate supporting documentation for RA, must be received prior to commencing 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 an RA, please click here to review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Next steps

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