Duties
Major duties include:
The switchboard is located in Portland VAMC. The complexity of a tertiary care Medical Center demands attention to detail, accuracy and efficiency when providing a full range of telecommunication options to clinical providers, administrative staff, veterans and family members, community hospitals, private practitioners, OHSU departmental staff and clinicians, and other members of the general public.
The frequency of the Resident rotations and the detail oriented clinical specialties on-call schedules necessitate that the incumbent must constantly· update and track information relevant to these on-call and Resident rotations schedules. The schedules are provided by each clinical specialty in various formats and must be organized and data entered into a user friendly on-call .schedule. The rotation schedules and calendars must also be organized and entered into either Network based on call schedule and made available in conjunction with a quick reference guide and multiple reference lists. Each Operator is trained in how to prepare these reference materials and is coordinated through the Supervisor.
An accurate, Daily Record Log of events and incidents must be maintained on a daily basis for each shift. This includes, but is not limited to emergency medical and behavioral Codes intrusion alarms, panic alarms,, problems with the Call manager, IP/ARC console, emergency 911 phone, , or any other telecommunications equipment in the office, insuring that all · pertinent details are documented.
Organizational skills are necessary to be able to prioritize the variety of tasks and work requests that must be accomplished on a daily l:>asis on each shift. It is important to be able to respond to numerous demands in a diplomatic and efficient manner. Different and unrelated processes are required ·to accomplish the work. A high degree of judgment will be required to determine the urgency/emergent nature of the issue and ensuring that the appropriate Medical Center personnel are notified. Decisions concerning .what needs to be done and how it must be done are based on understanding the relationship between different organizations, people and issues involved.
Must be able to handle multiple calls under pressure· in a stressful setting and exhibit a high degree of interpersonal communication. The work is performed in a communication center setting assisting callers, dispensing information to veterans, medical staff, nursing staff, administrative personnel, and the general public. Individual must possess the ability to function with a variety of demands, making changes and adjustments in activities to ensure that calls are processed in an organized, expeditious and efficient manner. Customer service skills will be utilized within the office environment with co-workers, clinical and administrative staff and on each telephone interaction. The complexity of the position directly relates to answering and directing numerous and varied calls including processing emergency calls for a Code situation. Accomplishment of these tasks requires an expeditious time frame within the· context of potential emergency interruptions and changes in priorities of calls.
Primarily uses Outlook to receive, reply and send email' messages related to' on-call schedules, procedural updates, patient and staff safety, security issues, and other important· \ISS and facility level messages. VISTA messages are also received.
Operates the voice and digital paging system, long distance pagers, and hospital wide overhead voice paging system. This includes calling the emergency Code pagers in the event of an emergency,
Ensures that there is an accurate network based, daily Record Log of events and incidents to include, but not limited to emergency medical and behavioral Codes, panic alarms, problems with the Cisco, IP console, emergency 911 phone, or any other telecommunications equipment in the office, insuring that all pertinent details are documented all automatic, etc.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm (PST).
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD20743A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.
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.
RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information each job listed:
- Job title;
- Duties (be as detailed as possible);
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008);
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week);
- Salary/Rank etc.;
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held;
- References, current or recent supervisor.
Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
- Classified or Government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
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.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the
VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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
- Proof of Marriage Status
- 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.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit
Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/28/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12724628.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- 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.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be
well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
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.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications 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. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
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.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.