Training Specialist Job in Madison, WI

Vacancy No. CAZP-12751477-25-CJ Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $73,939.00 to $96,116.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/23/2025 Close Date 7/8/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Madison, WI


Summary

The Training Specialist is directly responsible for the development and implementation of education activities, resources and services within the Patient Education Resource Center (PERC) and coordinating these to ensure all aspects are in compliance with established Medical Center goals and guidelines. This position is located within the Education Department within the Nursing Services at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital & Clinics in Madison, WI

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

• Open Only to current, permanent employees of the Madison VA Medical Center and its outreach facilities, including CBOCs and VCS employees. SF50 MUST BE ATTACHED.

Duties

Choose VA: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

The Training Specialist is expected to serve as an Instructional Systems Specialist and provide support for program development activities of Medical Center staff. Educational activities may include, but not limited to, individualized instruction, computer assisted instruction, train-the-trainer sessions, seminars, workshops, and small group learning experiences. Educational resources include designed training modules and supplementary learning and teaching materials. Educational services include needs assessments and analysis, instrument development, statistical analysis, instructional design and development of instructional materials and tests, identification and training of content experts, implementation of designed programs, and program evaluation and revision. Duties include and are not limited to:

Duties include:

  • The incumbent identities specialties within the hospital where continuing education is required or desirable.
  • Reviews local, national, and VA policies to gather information on education requirements. Works with Human Resources to gather requirements from qualification standards in specialties.
  • Address the employee's needs by developing an education plan, targeting identified deficiencies.
  • Depending upon the subject matter develops training plans and identifies the most effective training method appropriate to the subject matter and audience.
  • Develop or create training materials, to include developing computer-based training courses, present classes, or make arrangements for broadcast training that target deficiencies within each specially.
  • When developing program content, the incumbent solicits input from specialty experts, supervisors, division chiefs, and managers to meet the needs of the section and those of the employee.
  • If subject matter is beyond the individual's ability to provide adequate coverage, he/she arranges for courses from external sources such as classes offered by the Medical College of Wisconsin, or educational courses offered via special seminar or mail such as those offered by USDA.
  • The incumbent makes and coordinates schedules, ensures equipment and rooms are available, and prepares advertisements for classes. The incumbent ensures all pre-requisites are known and complied with prior to attending a subject course.
  • Individual develops a system to manage and track employee's training achievements and to report training status to managers and employees to keep them up to date. Collaterally, the incumbent works towards developing a system to provide a personalized list of medical specialty courses, specific to an employee's needs.
  • The incumbent trains employees on how to use and access, maintain and update the tracking program. The incumbent ensures supervisors know how to use the tracking system to follow employees' efforts and identify shortfalls.
  • Maintain an up-to-date library of educational information on the various occupational specialties within the hospital, to maintain program validity. Make the information available to employees to facilitate employee's desire to pursue new career paths, i.e., a nursing assistant wants to become a registered nurse
  • Develops core plans and curriculum for traditional career advancements to use as a resource for employees.
  • As a resource, incumbent provides information on support programs such as financial aid programs or the availability of pre-college refresher courses.
  • The individual develops policy and procedure to use tracking system and to correlate hospital needs with national/federal laws and accrediting agency's requirements.
  • The incumbent analyzes trends reflected in education requests to identify future program needs.
  • Serves as a resource for supervisors when developing and implementing PIP (Personal Improvement Plans) and PDP (Personal Development Plans). Provides supervisor with a mechanism for monitoring employee's progress within the PIP or PDP
    • Identifies what employee is looking for
    • Interviews client to determine necessary steps
    • Meets with supervisor or section chief
    • Together with employee, sets goals and makes plans to achieve the goals
    • Assists individual in finding resources to meet goals.


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday: 0730-1600 and may include some evenings.
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational, or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • Education. Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or [accredited by] the National League for Nursing [Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)] at the time the program was completed by the applicant.
OR
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2025

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-11 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: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Training Specialist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge of the subject area of the position and of the methods and techniques of instruction. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Teaching or instructing in an adult education program, secondary school, college, military installation or industrial establishment in the appropriate field(s); Supervising or administering a training program; Development or review of training/course materials, aids, devices, etc. and evaluation of training results; Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others on a regular basis. NOTE: 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.
~OR~
  • Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related, in a major study - Education or a subject area related to the Training Specialist position. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the Training Specialist position and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
~OR~
  • Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses in Education or a subject area related to the position and such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the Training Specialist position and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Creative Thinking
  • Customer Service
  • Education and Training
  • Information Assurance
  • Oral Communication
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: The work is mostly sedentary and involves the use of typical office equipment (e.g., laptop, cellphone, copiers, MiFi, fax machines, etc.). However, the work requires nationwide travel to attend meetings, coordinate program actions and, at times, to present briefings to large and small audiences. Some standing, walking, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers or files would be required which are customary physical demands of the position. There is light physical activity including pushing, pulling, reaching, stooping, and climbing stairs.

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/.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Foreign Education: To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/3 PART II APPENDIX G13

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

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.

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.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.

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:

  • 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 ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
  • 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.
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 full 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 07/08/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12751477.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS 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.
  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.

Agency contact information

Cindra Johnson
Address
William S Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital
2500 Overlook Terrace
Madison, WI 53705
US

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.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.