Clarification from the agency

Area of Consideration: permanent current Finger Lakes Health Care System employees.

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Major duties include but are not limited to:

Internal Distribution 30%:

• Receives all mail facility mail from external sources.
• Responsible for recognizing suspicious packages and taking necessary steps to alert facility.
• Receives and separates all facility internal and external mail.
• Sorts mail for all internal distribution by mail routing symbol, department or employee name.
• Responsible to put and remove mail in locked post office boxes.

Processing Out-Going Mail 25%:

• Prepares outgoing mail for processing by sorting into accounting groups, sub-grouping by class of service.
• Identify and separate mail generated from within the facility.
• Keep daily records for all outgoing accountable mail in addition to keeping a log book for the post office.

Mail Analysis 25%:

• Separates inpatient and outpatient mail.
• Analyzes and keeps weekly multiple spreadsheets for all outgoing mail costs and piece count for all metered mail, business reply mail, UPS, and Network mail outs.
• Track monies accurately that are on postage meter and not let fall below a set amount and that's in place to ensure dailt mail operations.

Facility Education 10%:

• Provides one-on-one education as needed to facility employees on the acceptability of mail pieces, classes of mail, special mail services and proper addressing/ packaging of mail.
• Keeps accurate listing of all mail codes for each department within the facility and shares with staff.

Reproduction Requests 10%:

• Process copies for the facility to include pamphlets, magazines or any request that is not handled by Station Graphic Center.

Work Schedule: M-F 7:30AM - 4:00PM
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Mail Clerk/PD05915A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 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 period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/12/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 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 processing mail for cost effectiveness, accountability, and tracking purposes. Ability to research, assemble and compile mail service information and evaluate the results against appropriate mail standards and recommend alternate actions where indicated. Knowledge of data entry to enter and retrieve patient information to address. Processing incoming and outgoing mail and managing a mail system. Maintain and update a filing system to include storage/reference and retrieval. Ability to improve procedures and maintain supplies and equipment.

OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successful completion of 4 years above high school (This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school). (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).

OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) to meet the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Decision Making
• Manages and Organizes Information
• Manages Resources

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: Position involves standing for long intervals of times as well as consistently walking while delivering mail to over 100 mailstops. Incumbent is also walking, bending, pulling, pushing, climbing stairs and lifting throughout the day. Incumbent lifts up to 20 pounds.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting that is lighted, heated, and ventilated. Work is performed on a loading dock with motorized equipment such as a flatbed cart. Incumbent wears protective gloves daily while handling Lab samples. These samples have to be sorted through and put in bio hazards bags for transporting to the Lab by mail staff. The Mail Clerk has access to respiratory protection in the event of a suspicious package.

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/.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.