Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/02/2025.
Time-In-Grade Requirement (Applies to eligibility for Temporary Promotion Only): 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.
The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above.
To qualify for this position at the GS-13 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria:
Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of compensation concepts, principles and practices, including pay and compensation flexibilities. ~OR~
Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Analyzing, interpreting, developing, and/or implementing laws, regulations, policies, and/or guidance involving subject matter areas within compensation administration and advising leadership on the use of compensation flexibilities to help recruit, manage, and retain employees. Provide advice and guidance to officials, supervisors, and employees on the full range of pay administration policies principles and practices, including pay administration policy, salaries and wages, special rates, pay benefits, non-foreign area cost-of-living allowances, compensation decisions, and computation of interest on back pay systems, to include but not limited to locality pay, special rates, back pay, pay limitations, premium pay, grade and pay retention, severance pay, and cost-of- living allowances (COLA)..
Education
Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and/or humanities.
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
GRANDFATHERING PROVISION. HR Specialists, GS-0201, employed in VA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:a. HR Specialists who are grandfathered into the GS-0201 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder, promoted to a higher grade or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.b. HR Specialists who are grandfathered into the GS-0201 occupational series can be placed in a lead, supervisory or managerial position through an appropriate position change without meeting the basic requirements required in this standard but must meet the grade level requirements.c. HR Specialists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.d. HR Specialists serving on an appointment that leads to noncompetitive conversion to the competitive service may be extended on that appointment or converted to the competitive service without meeting the basic requirements of this standard, but they must meet the grade level requirements.e. HR Specialists who are grandfathered under this provision that leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Benefits
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.
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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.