As an Insurance Specialist you will have telephone contacts with the public for the purposes of (1) advising and providing information on insurance programs; (2) explaining pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases; and (3) assisting individuals regarding how best to provide needed documents and evidence required, or to initiate inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems related to the VA Insurance program.
Summary
As an Insurance Specialist you will have telephone contacts with the public for the purposes of (1) advising and providing information on insurance programs; (2) explaining pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases; and (3) assisting individuals regarding how best to provide needed documents and evidence required, or to initiate inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems related to the VA Insurance program.
This vacancy is open to those covered by the indicated hiring paths, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles living within the local commuting area, Veterans eligible under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) and 30% or More Disabled, and former Federal employees.
Fields telephone calls pertaining to a wide range of issues. On occasion, these matters involve other VA and Federal benefits.
Researches and interprets regulations governing life insurance policies in order to reply to inquiries from policyholders on the VA administered insurance programs.
Responds to inquiries varying in complexity and counsels callers on topics including but not limited to dividends, premiums, non-medical and medical underwriting issues, matured endowments, cash surrenders, loans, death claim processing and tax issues relating to the insurance programs.
Advises policyholders and beneficiaries with estimates and compares benefits of the various options that are available relating to conversions, changes of plan, matured endowment, cash surrenders, death award payments and dividend options, etc.
Computes reserves, differences in reserve, surrender and loan values, and determines effective date of changes.
Prepares detailed statement of account and conducts extensive audits of individual policies.
Responds to inquiries in relation to Servicemembers'/Veterans' Group Life Insurance (SGLI/VGLI) and Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) which are supervised by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Takes all servicing and maintenance actions in responding to requests or inquiries from policyholders or their authorized representatives, including posting premiums, loan and dividend payments and refunds.
Performs post entitlement actions, including release of Treasury Form 712 and release of correspondence to claimants, Veterans Service Officers, and attorneys and third parties concerning general inquiries about payment of the proceeds.
Processes beneficiary designations requests, releases copies of beneficiary designations on file, and provides copies of the policy.
This position has been re-engineered for recruitment and training purposes. The incumbent will receive assignments that are designed to develop their skills and knowledge until reaching a full promotion potential of grade GS-09. Upon successful completion of training, meeting all regulatory requirements and demonstrated ability to perform duties at the higher level, the incumbent may be promoted without further competition to the full performance level position of grade GS-09. Work assignments are designed to introduce the incumbent to a full range of duties and responsibilities required by the full performance level. As experience and knowledge are gained and competency is demonstrated, the employee is gradually given more freedom to make independent judgments and decisions. The incumbent will perform duties similar to those described in full performance but under closer supervision, more specific guidelines, less complexity, and decreased scope and effect as described above.
Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, if applicable, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or a 2-year trial 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.
Upon completion of your probationary or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Time-In-Grade (TIG) Requirement
Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements apply to applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks, current Federal employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) appointment, and former Federal employees applying for reinstatement. Applicants who must meet TIG must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50):
Official SF-50 that shows you held the grade (or higher) for the full performance level of the position you are applying for, or
Official SF-50 that shows you held the next lower grade for at least one year for the position you are applying for. (Multiple SF-50 may need to be submitted to show this.)
Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include which show TIG requirements have been met include:
Within grade increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or
Promotions with an effective date that occurred more than one year from the closing date of the job opportunity announcement; or
SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than 1 year from the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.
NOTE: Do not submit Award SF-50s, as they do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.
Specialized Experience
To qualify, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to:
(1) Experience that may have been gained in technical assignments that involved the application of laws, rules, regulations or procedures involving a benefit or entitlement program.
(2) Responsibility for examination, investigation or authorization of claims under programs such as life or health insurance, pension plan, disability retirement, income maintenance or other related programs.
OR
Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-7 level:
Undergraduate Degree and Superior Academic Achievement. You have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university or you possess an undergraduate degree in any field from an accredited college or university, AND you meet one of the following Superior
Academic Achievement provisions:
a. Ranked in the upper 1/3 of your college class or major subdivision at the time you apply;
b. Earned election to a national scholastic honor society that meets the requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies other than freshman honor societies; OR
c. Earned a grade point average (GPA) of 2.95 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses, or all undergraduate classes completed during the final two years; or earned a GPA of 3.45 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses in your major, or all undergraduate courses in your major completed during the final two years.
Regarding the Superior Academic Achievement provisions, if more than 10% of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail or similar basis, you can qualify only on the basis of your class standing or membership in an honor society. If you qualify based on your education, you must upload or fax a copy of your college transcript along with your application. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript(s) will be required at your start date.
OR
Graduate Education. You must have at least one full academic year of graduate level education that demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to satisfactorily perform the work. One year of full-time graduate education is normally determined by the school you attended. If that number cannot be determined, 18 semester hours should be considered equivalent to one academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable on a pro-rated basis. If you qualify based on your education, you must upload or fax a copy of your college transcript along with your application. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript(s) will be required at your start date.
OR
Applicants can combine education and specialized experience to qualify for the position. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education AND specialized experience described above, you may still qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. To do so, first calculate the percentage of qualifying education you have as a percentage of the education required. Next, calculate the percentage of specialized experience you have as a percentage of the experience required. Then, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% for you to qualify for the position at the GS-7 grade level. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate education (i.e., 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of acceptable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the experience required) would satisfy the qualification requirements for the position. If you qualify based on a combination of graduate education and specialized experience, you must submit a copy of your official college transcript with your application.
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 Office of Personnel Management's group coverage qualification standards, associated individual occupational requirements (IOR), and individual qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found here
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
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. 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.
Additional information
Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday Title/PD#: Insurance Specialist GS-7; PD 03735A Flexible: Available (8:00am-4:30pm, 8:30am-5:00pm, and 9:00am-5:30pm) Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.
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.
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. Please contact the special placement coordinator or the human resources specialist listed on this vacancy for more information regarding applying for consideration under schedule A or as a 30% disabled Veteran.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. A well-qualified candidate is defined as meeting all of the minimum qualification standards and eligibility requirements as well as possessing skills that clearly exceed the minimum qualifications requirements for this position. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility can be found here.
VA 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.
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.
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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf."
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.
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 who do not fully address the specialized experience needed for the position (as described above in the job announcement) in their resume or who do not possess the education to substitute for it will not be referred for consideration.
After you have met the minimum qualifications, you will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:
Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.
Technical Application - Uses machines, tools, or equipment effectively; uses computers and computer applications to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format.
Communication - Expresses ideas and facts to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; facilitates an open exchange of ideas. Ability to identify problems, use sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives; and to make recommendations.
Self-Management - Sets well defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.
Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job-related information, which may include, but is not limited to responses to the knowledge, skills, and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or 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.
Notice to Applicants: It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.
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.
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.
The following documents are required for all applicants:
Resume
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package to include the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified; errors, omissions, or failure to submit the documents as specified will affect your rating or result in loss of consideration for employment.
Resume (limited to 2 pages): Applicants must provide a resume detailing their specialized experience and competencies relevant to the position.
Your resume may be submitted in any format, however we strongly recommend using USA Jobs resume builder as it contains all of the information required on federal resumes.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week, the dates of employment (month/year), and the level of your experience. If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level. If your resume does not contain this information you will not receive consideration for this position.
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
Current Federal Employees:
If you are applying using your status as a current federal employee or as a VEOA candidate (who is a current federal employee) you must submit your most recent appointment SF-50. This SF50 should identify your appointing legal authority, position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
To verify you meet Time-in-Grade requirements, also submit a SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade held (e.g. Within Grade Increase, Promotion, Appointment, etc.). Some applicants may have to submit more than one SF-50 in order to demonstrate their eligibility.
If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit an SF-50 showing that grade.
Applicants claiming Veterans' preference must also submit:
A legible copy of your Member 4 DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as character of service (Honorable, General, etc.). Copies of DD-214's can be requested here.
Current active duty members must submit a signed statement of service from their commander dated within the last 120 days that contains their expected discharge date, their release from active duty under honorable conditions, any medals awarded, and the timeframe of their service so eligibility can be determined.
Veterans claiming 10 point preference must also submit an SF-15 and all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference. This includes a VA letter supporting your disability claim with the overall percentage listed.
If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for Veterans' preference, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor here.
Transcripts
If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
Unofficial transcript(s) may be submitted, however it must contain the course names, levels, credits earned, and grades received.
Your transcript must contain the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
An official transcript may be required at a later date if you are selected for the position.
Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must also submit:
Certification of expected separation, reduction-in-force separation notice, or notice of proposed removal; and your most recent performance evaluation; and an SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from.
Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.
In addition to the information listed above, please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12866098 and submit the documentation specified in the job announcement. Documents will not be accepted after the closing date of the announcement.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan.
Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position.
USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build 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 knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying.
VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed
Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
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 also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX).
We do not accept PDF portfolio files.
We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto 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.
Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announcement
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at:
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/02/2026 to receive consideration.
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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the application status link and then select the more information link for this position. The details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS accountand 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.
Philadelphia VBA Regional Office
5000 Wissahickon Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19144
US
Next steps
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. During our review, if your resume and application package do not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email (if provided). 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 USAJOBS account and clicking on "Application Status." For a more detailed update of your status, click on "more information." Information regarding applicant notification points can be found in the USAJOBS Resource Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required for all applicants:
Resume
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package to include the documents detailed below. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified; errors, omissions, or failure to submit the documents as specified will affect your rating or result in loss of consideration for employment.
Resume (limited to 2 pages): Applicants must provide a resume detailing their specialized experience and competencies relevant to the position.
Your resume may be submitted in any format, however we strongly recommend using USA Jobs resume builder as it contains all of the information required on federal resumes.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week, the dates of employment (month/year), and the level of your experience. If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level. If your resume does not contain this information you will not receive consideration for this position.
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
Current Federal Employees:
If you are applying using your status as a current federal employee or as a VEOA candidate (who is a current federal employee) you must submit your most recent appointment SF-50. This SF50 should identify your appointing legal authority, position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
To verify you meet Time-in-Grade requirements, also submit a SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade held (e.g. Within Grade Increase, Promotion, Appointment, etc.). Some applicants may have to submit more than one SF-50 in order to demonstrate their eligibility.
If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit an SF-50 showing that grade.
Applicants claiming Veterans' preference must also submit:
A legible copy of your Member 4 DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as character of service (Honorable, General, etc.). Copies of DD-214's can be requested here.
Current active duty members must submit a signed statement of service from their commander dated within the last 120 days that contains their expected discharge date, their release from active duty under honorable conditions, any medals awarded, and the timeframe of their service so eligibility can be determined.
Veterans claiming 10 point preference must also submit an SF-15 and all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference. This includes a VA letter supporting your disability claim with the overall percentage listed.
If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for Veterans' preference, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor here.
Transcripts
If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
Unofficial transcript(s) may be submitted, however it must contain the course names, levels, credits earned, and grades received.
Your transcript must contain the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
An official transcript may be required at a later date if you are selected for the position.
Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must also submit:
Certification of expected separation, reduction-in-force separation notice, or notice of proposed removal; and your most recent performance evaluation; and an SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from.
Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.
In addition to the information listed above, please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12866098 and submit the documentation specified in the job announcement. Documents will not be accepted after the closing date of the announcement.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan.
Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position.
USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build 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 knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying.
VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed
Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
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 also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX).
We do not accept PDF portfolio files.
We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto 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.
Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announcement
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at:
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/02/2026 to receive consideration.
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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the application status link and then select the more information link for this position. The details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS accountand 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.
Philadelphia VBA Regional Office
5000 Wissahickon Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19144
US
Next steps
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. During our review, if your resume and application package do not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email (if provided). 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 USAJOBS account and clicking on "Application Status." For a more detailed update of your status, click on "more information." Information regarding applicant notification points can be found in the USAJOBS Resource Center.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
