Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent employees of the William S. Middleton VA Hospital (including CBOCs/VCS) in Madison, WI, VHA employees and Federal Employees.

VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans.

This position in located in Education Service at the William S. Middleton VA Memorial Hospital, Madison, WI a complexity level 1b facility. The incumbent serves as an integrator that coordinates the business processes, software functions, and training. The primary functions of this position ensure the business process is in place to support the implementation of new and updated information technology systems. The incumbent serves as the functional "expert" for all matters relating to training for the Cerner Millennium Electronic Health Record (EHR) package.

Major Duties:

• Integrator that coordinates business processes, software functions, and training
• Ensure the business process is in place to support the implementation of new and updated information technology systems.
• Serves as the functional expert for all matters relation to training for the new Electronic Health Record.
• Responsible for the coordination and training for service and facility staff in administrative and clinical areas for the new Electronic Health Record.
• Provides training and troubleshooting for clinical and administrative staff in business processes.
• Provides training for individual users on daily operational tasks and trains new users.
• Responsible for developing and presenting both formal lectures and on-the-job sessions.
• Trains users in resolving minor processing and equipment problems.
• Works with supervisors and collects information about the data and training needs for the service areas.
• Collects individual needs to determine menu access and training options for local, regional and national staff.
• Tracks, documents and records training attendance and completion.
• Serves as the technical expert in Talent Management System and requires TMS Administrator skills.
• Problem solver with the special ability to integrate overall knowledge of the system and the training process, and to be innovative in the process.
• Provides testing of new options and software versions prior to implementation to gain familiarity with the new product features and confirm that software is working according to specifications
• Provides support to the Informatics Service by providing information and analysis of software functions within the service.
• Responsible for designating and preparing data management, special studies, and reports for use by top management for budget preparation, workload projections, and quality assurance and utilization reviews.
• Prepares and delivers regularly recurring reports of training and program goals to leadership.
• Maintains a close working relationship with various program officials.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for Adhoc telework. Adhoc eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Applications Specialist (EHRM)/PD23039A
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/17/2025.

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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Program Support Assistant at the developmental level, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that includes but is not limited to: responsible for the coordination and training for service and facility staff in administrative and clinical areas; provides support to management by analyzing, evaluating, advising, and coordinating all operations related to Cerner Millennium EHR training; provides training and troubleshooting for clinical and administrative staff in business processes and associated supporting software and tracking documents and records training attendance and completion. Serves as a technical expert in Talent Management System (TMS); requires TMS Administrator skills.

OR,

GS-9 LEVEL EDUCATION: Have successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related? (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

OR,

GS-9 LEVEL COMBINATION: Possess a combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above? (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Education and Training
• Information Management
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Project Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Systems Integration
• Teaches Others

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work is mostly sedentary involving sitting at a desk, although the position requires the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another. The incumbent works with a computer screen and keyboard. Some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or prolonged sitting may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to walking to outlying areas. The work places no special physical demands on the employee.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting with occasional visits to areas within the service as well as throughout the Medical Center. Work area is adequately lighted, heated and air conditioned. The normal risks and discomforts typical of an office and clerical work area are included. There are no unusual risks or safety hazards associated with this position.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Education and Training
• Information Management
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Project Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Systems Integration
• Teaches Others

USA Hire Assessments include 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.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL 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 the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps