You will serve as a Benefits Specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Capital Access (OCA), People Operations Disaster Division (PODD). The employee serves as a Human Resources Specialist providing HR advisory in all areas of benefits administration to a Center or equivalent Center level office or to subdivisions of a Center.
Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 180 days from the closing date.
Summary
You will serve as a Benefits Specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Capital Access (OCA), People Operations Disaster Division (PODD). The employee serves as a Human Resources Specialist providing HR advisory in all areas of benefits administration to a Center or equivalent Center level office or to subdivisions of a Center.
Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 180 days from the closing date.
This vacancy is open to current permanent Federal employees (status candidates), and individuals eligible for any of the following special hiring authorities: Military Spouses, Veterans Employment Opportunities Act, VRA, 30% or more disabled veterans, Schedule A, current/permanent employees who are CTAP eligible, ICTAP eligible current/former federal employees, Land Management, Reinstatement eligibles, Transfer employees in Competitive service, and Interchange eligibles.
As a Benefits Specialist at the GS-0201-11/12, some of your typical work assignments may include:
Provides information and advice on all aspects of retirement benefits and coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS, FERS-RAE, and FERS-FRAE) and the Civilian Service Retirement System (CSRS) and CSRS Offset for employees, survivors, and eligible family members.
Responsible for the delivery of information and services involving the retirement program.
Calculates retirement SCDs, retirement estimates, redeposits for service, and military buy-back/deposits.
Develops and delivers training on FERS and CSRS to employees in new employee orientation and pre-retirement and retirement seminars.
Stays abreast of latest issues affecting Federal employee benefits and prepares informational materials.
Note: The duties listed above are for both grade levels. At the lower grade level, closer oversight from the Team Lead or supervisor may be provided.
Mandatory Overtime: In order to respond quickly and efficiently to disaster survivors, substantial compensated overtime hours may be required while on assignment (up to seven days a week and ten to fourteen hours a day).
You may be required to serve a one year probationary period.
Qualifications
Experience: To receive credit, you must indicate the month and year as well as the average hours worked per week for each employer. Average work hours must be stated on the resume to quantify each period of work experience or that experience will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. You must address the specific specialized experience required for each grade level of this position on your resume or application or you will be rated "Ineligible" for that grade level.
For GS-11 - Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:
One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. In addition, this specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
Providing advisory guidance and assistance to employees to execute a variety of employee benefits programs to include health and life benefits and insurance programs, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) program, health benefits open season, flexible spending accounts, temporary continuation of health insurance (TCC), etc.; and
Responding to a variety of benefits and retirement related inquiries from internal and external customers; and
Researching, interpreting, and applying Federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines on federal benefits and retirement programs/systems.
**OR applicants may substitute successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education OR Ph.D. ORequivalent graduate degree such as an LL.M, in a field directly related to the position). Examples of relevant fields include: Human Resource Management, Organizational Management, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Education must be in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
**OR a combination experience as described in "A" and graduate level education as described in "B", when combined, are equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement. Only graduate level education in excess of two full years (36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation. To compute, first determine the total number of graduate level hours that exceed 36 semester hours, and then divide that number by 18 to arrive at a percentage. Then, divide the total number of months of qualifying experience by 12 to arrive at a second percentage. Add the two percentages together. The sum of the percentages must equal at least 100% to qualify.
For GS-12 - Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-12 level:
One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skill, and ability to perform successfully in this position. In addition, this specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
Providing advisory guidance and assistance to employees to execute a variety of employee benefits programs to include health and life benefits and insurance programs, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) program, health benefits open season, flexible spending accounts, temporary continuation of health insurance (TCC), etc.; and
Providing advice and counsel on all aspects of retirement coverage under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS, FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for employees, survivors, and eligible families to include computation of estimated benefits and retirement SCD calculations; and
Responding to a variety of benefits and retirement related inquiries from internal and external customers; and
Researching, presenting findings and delivering briefings related to a variety of employee benefit programs; and
Researching, interpreting, and applying Federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines on federal benefits and retirement programs/systems.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications website:
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; religious; 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.
Federal status applicants must meet both Time-In-Grade AND experience requirements by the closing date of this announcement. However, if you have separated from the Federal Government for at least 52 weeks, you are not subject to the Time-in-Grade requirement.
TIME-IN-GRADE: If you are a current career or career-conditional federal employee applying for promotion under Merit Promotion you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in positions at the next level lower than the position being filled.
All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 03/06/2026
Education
If you are qualifying as a whole or in part based on education, you MUST provide complete transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable) with this application. See the qualifications section above for specific details on when education can be used.
Education cannot be substituted at the GS-12 level.
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Verify School accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.
*** Foreign Education: 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, click on: Foreign Education.
If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you have a disability (physical or mental) covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990, that would interfere with completing the USAHire Assessments, you will have the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation (RA) in your online application. Requests for RA for the USAHire Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation must be received prior to starting the assessments. Decisions on requests are made on a case-by-case basis. After notification of the adjudication of your request, if you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USAHire Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the invitation, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need an RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) helps "surplus" or "displaced" federal employees improve their chances of finding a new job in their current agency (intra-agency, i.e. SBA employees only). Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) applies to employees who have been or will be involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (score of 85 or better) based on your responses to the assessment; 3) the position to which you are applying MUST BE in the Local Commuting Area of the position of record from which you are being displaced; and 4) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. Click here for more information. You MUST submit a copy of your separation notice or other proof of eligibility.
EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. For additional information visit www.sss.gov.
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) -VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.
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.
If selected for this position, you will be eligible for benefits. The above link is provided for your reference to explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees.
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.
Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet all the Specialized Experience required at each grade level. If you do not, you will be rated "Ineligible". If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your score can and may be adjusted downward to reflect the submitted application material. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Employee Benefits
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Oral Communication
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Written Communication
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
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.
If selected for this position, you will be eligible for benefits. The above link is provided for your reference to explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume showing hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. Your resume should not exceed two pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. If your resume goes beyond two pages, we will only consider the first two pages for the required experience as outlined in the specialized experience.
2. Other supporting documents, such as:
College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
Veterans' documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other Member Copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
If you are a current or former Federal employee, submit a copy of your official SF-50 or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document that shows the following information to verify your eligibility for consideration as a status applicant:
your appointment in the competitive or excepted service
tenure
grade, step and salary
highest grade held or full performance level of current or prior position (as applicable).
DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.
Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP):
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, provide a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (which must show at least a "fully successful" rating or equivalent), and proof of eligibility, i.e., a RIF separation notice or Certification of Expected Separation, and SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. In addition to meeting all qualification requirements and selective placement factors (if applicable), CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the Well-Qualified criteria with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above for the position in order to be given priority consideration. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is also on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP/ICTAP http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. 2. If you are a veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) Appointing Authority or for any other Appointment based on your military service, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 copy showing type of discharge/character of service or other proof of creditable service. 3. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered, or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
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 online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/06/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
People Operations Disaster Division - PODD
13221 Woodland Park Road, 5th Floor
Herndon, VA 20171
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
SBA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume showing hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. Your resume should not exceed two pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. If your resume goes beyond two pages, we will only consider the first two pages for the required experience as outlined in the specialized experience.
2. Other supporting documents, such as:
College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
Unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application process; however, official transcripts will be required if selected.
Veterans' documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 or other Member Copy showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
If you are a current or former Federal employee, submit a copy of your official SF-50 or other official "Notification of Personnel Action" document that shows the following information to verify your eligibility for consideration as a status applicant:
your appointment in the competitive or excepted service
tenure
grade, step and salary
highest grade held or full performance level of current or prior position (as applicable).
DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME OR ANY APPLICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE AGENCY CONTACT.
Your latest resume submitted for this position will be used for qualification determinations and supersedes previous submissions.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP):
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, provide a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (which must show at least a "fully successful" rating or equivalent), and proof of eligibility, i.e., a RIF separation notice or Certification of Expected Separation, and SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. In addition to meeting all qualification requirements and selective placement factors (if applicable), CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the Well-Qualified criteria with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above for the position in order to be given priority consideration. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is also on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP/ICTAP http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. 2. If you are a veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) Appointing Authority or for any other Appointment based on your military service, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 copy showing type of discharge/character of service or other proof of creditable service. 3. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered, or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
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 online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/06/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
People Operations Disaster Division - PODD
13221 Woodland Park Road, 5th Floor
Herndon, VA 20171
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
SBA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
