Program Specialist

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Salisbury VA Medical Center (VAMC), Salisbury, NC, within the Specialty Care Service. The primary duties of the position are to perform clinical, administrative and technical data support for Specialty Care Service.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/26/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement (GS-7): 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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. Time-In-Grade Requirement (GS-9): 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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: GS-7:

Program Specialist Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of healthcare delivery; knowledge of Joint Commission requirements; knowledge of the electronic consult process to resolve issues with pending consults; knowledge of outpatient processing and release of information; knowledge of medical record creation, content and format, encounter forms, VISTA scheduling package; knowledge of eligibility criteria in a variety of areas such as prosthetic devices, medications, medical specialty services, outside referrals; knowledge of CPRS; knowledge of personal computer software programs; knowledge of medical terminology and usage; skill and ability to plan work, set priorities, coordinate activities; knowledge of time and attendance reporting using VA PAID system; ability to communicate in writing in order to prepare memorandum, letters, policies, procedures, and a wide variety of reports; ability to communicate orally in order to communicate effectively with employees at all levels.

OR, Education:

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 1 full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

NOTE:

Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

OR, Combination:

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education beyond a bachelors degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level.

NOTE:

If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. GS-9:

Program Specialist Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of healthcare delivery; knowledge of Joint Commission requirements; knowledge of the electronic consult process to resolve issues with pending consults; knowledge of outpatient processing and release of information; knowledge of medical record creation, content and format, encounter forms, VISTA scheduling package; knowledge of eligibility criteria in a variety of areas such as prosthetic devices, medications, medical specialty services, outside referrals; knowledge of CPRS; knowledge of personal computer software programs; knowledge of medical terminology and usage; skill and ability to plan work, set priorities, coordinate activities; knowledge of time and attendance reporting using VA PAID system; ability to communicate in writing in order to prepare memorandum, letters, policies, procedures, and a wide variety of reports; ability to communicate orally in order to communicate effectively with employees at all levels.

OR, Education:

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B or J.D., if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

NOTE :

Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

OR, Combination:

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-9 level.

NOTE:

If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. 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/ .