Program Support Assistant Job in Tucson, AZ

Vacancy No. CBSX-12878751-26-TKS Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $46,270.00 to $60,151.00 Grade 6 to 6
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/9/2026 Close Date 2/19/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Tucson, AZ


Summary

The position is at the full performance level located in the Department of Veterans Affairs, at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, AZ in Medicine Service. This position supports the Service Chief and Assistant Service Chief for the Medicine Service Line (MSL). This position covers a wide-range of administrative tasks that include: facilities, fiscal, personnel, performance measurements and monitoring, performance improvement, data analysis, policy review and writing etc.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

Development of Criteria/Program Implementation 50 Percent:
Develops reporting procedures, sampling techniques, and measurements at various points in the operational and patient-flow processes to identify problem areas or inherent weaknesses in work processes, procedures, information systems, and content. Develops indicators to provide objective evidence of the effectiveness of quality procedures and controls. Identifies operational activities that meet, exceed or fail to meet established criteria. Uses standard qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques to report on status of assigned subject areas. Investigates and analyzes adverse quality trends or conditions and initiates corrective action. Monitors qualitative and quantitative measurements for performance measurements that apply to the MSL. Identifies areas requiring further analysis. Recommends approach to Administrative Officer.

Development of Programs, Policies, and Procedures 25 Percent:
Assists management in developing programs to ensure that quality provisions are planned, developed and implemented to identify, prevent and correct unsatisfactory conditions and elements which influence the regulatory correctness and responsiveness of transactions and services. Reviews and assists management in writing policies and procedures that relate to the MSL. Develops training materials, presentations and information packages for the MSL. Based on samples or guidance from senior staff, develops materials to convey program information to target audience.

Studies and Special Projects 25 Percent:
Designs studies, training programs, and organizational strategies for identifying opportunities to improve customer service and operational policies. Identifies steps for improvement of processes that might be opportunities for applying standardization across the MSL. This may include facilities, fiscal, education, personnel, or any other administrative area within the MSL. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Mon - Friday 8:00 to 4:30
Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD13548A
Physical Requirements: The nature of the position is mostly sedentary but may requires some sitting, standing and moving of files.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
  • 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.**
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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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
Beginning Sept. 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to 2 pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than 2 pages will result in ineligibility. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload 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 position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications.

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 recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, 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.

Qualifications

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

GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: : facilities, fiscal, personnel, performance measurements and monitoring, performance improvement, appointment management, data analysis, environment of care, policy review and writing, patient safety.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

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/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

VHA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

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.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

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

Documents Required:
  • Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

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.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/19/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12878751.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 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.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Eileen Barreras
Phone
602 277-5551 X1347
Email
Eileen.Barreras@va.gov
Address
Tucson VA Medical Center
3601 South Sixth Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85723
US

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated 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.