Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA)(SSA-001), open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given new appointments to the civil service. Under the provisions of the DHA, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Three" do not apply.
NOTE: Telework may be available in accordance with agency policy. This IS NOT a virtual position.
Summary
Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA)(SSA-001), open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given new appointments to the civil service. Under the provisions of the DHA, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Three" do not apply.
NOTE: Telework may be available in accordance with agency policy. This IS NOT a virtual position.
Benefits & Records Technicians perform a variety of activities involving analyzing, investigating, identifying, coding, reconciling, updating and adjusting earnings data reported by employers, and benefit data reported by recipients and representative payees. Examples of such activities include:
-Review and categorize incoming correspondence;
-Examine incoming documents and forms to determine acceptability for further processing;
-Identify and resolve discrepancies for a wide variety of completed forms and reports;
-Initiate and receive direct contact calls from various government agencies, beneficiaries, their representatives, wage earners, and the general public;
-Initiate and receive direct contact calls and/or correspondence to report on progress, resolve problems, clarify, exchange, obtain or provide information, and advance a better understanding of SSA programs;
-Access computer systems, personal computer, and other related computer equipment for various records and reports;
-Enter, correct, and update data in automated systems for management information reporting purposes;
-Distribute completed work in accordance with specific workload procedures to the appropriate SSA components and other government agencies;
-Follow applicable procedures governing the release of confidential information;
-Prepare complex and detailed written reports needed by other government agencies and subsequent operations to accompany the source document for further processing;
-Apply individual judgment to identify, evaluate and resolve nonstandard requests or replies utilizing different and often unrelated steps, processes and/or methods.
Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required.
Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results.
Selectees are required to serve a 1 year probationary period.
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Selectees will be required to attend and successfully complete, formal technical training onsite at the designated SSA facility.
Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
Qualifications
If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:
GS-5: 52 weeks of full-time experience that demonstrates experience applying rules, policies, or procedures to provide customer assistance, answering or asking customer questions to obtain or provide information, and using a computer to enter data.
GS-6: 52 weeks of full-time specialized experience performing all or most of the following tasks: 1) Operating a personal computer and utilizing software such as entering and retrieving data, editing, making record changes, verifying information; 2) Applying rules, regulations and written guidelines to work assignments, such as reviewing, verifying, evaluating applications, claims, documents, forms, etc., to determine acceptability for processing; 3) Maintain workload data and monitors workloads to ensure timeframes are met; 4) Communicating orally with the public to provide or obtain information; 5) Writing correspondence/reports such as responding to inquiries or requests for information.
Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period), you will be credited with 6 months of experience.
Education
Substituting Education
For information on substituting education for experience, visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/group-stds/gs-cler.asp
If you are qualifying for this position based on completed education at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other educational institution, you must provide a copy of your transcripts or other proof of education. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.
GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study above high school (e.g., 120 earned semester hours, 180 earned quarter hours, bachelor's degree, etc.).
COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
GS-5: Education course work equivalent to a baccalaureate program beyond the second year (e.g., in excess of the first 60 earned semester or 90 earned quarter hours) is creditable toward meeting the minimum qualification requirements.
Note: Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined.
GS-6: Substitution of education for experience is not applicable at this grade level.
Additional information
This position is located in the Wilkes Barre Direct Operations Center (WBDOC), 1150 East Mountain Blvd, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.This is a Day Shift Position, 7:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., Monday - Friday (40 hours)
This is a career-ladder position offering the opportunity for annual promotion based on performance leading up to the GS-6 grade level. Normally candidates are hired at step one unless they have prior federal experience with no break in service.
This is a bargaining unit position represented by the American Federation of Government Employees.
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. See www.sss.gov.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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.
This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available. Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6-month eligibility period has elapsed.
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.
Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12962402
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.
You must also submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered per OPM's new resume guidance. To be considered, your resume must:
Clearly demonstrate your qualifications for the position
Include your contact information
We recommend using a clear, easy-to-read format and focusing on information most relevant to the job announcement.
RESUME: You must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position being filled, including any positive education requirements and/or selective placement factors. All applicants must submit a resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. Your resume must provide specific details as to how your experience meets the qualifications for the posted position(s). When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific; we will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee) and month, day, and year that you began and ended each position held. Without this information, the experience gained while in that position may not be credited toward meeting the qualifications requirements. The resume should indicate if the work is full-time or part-time. Part-time work is prorated (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience).
Experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. You resume must provide context and sufficient detail of your experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation (see Required Documents section).
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at Careers@ssa.gov or 000-000-0000.
Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Central Processing
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21235-0001
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted all of the required application materials and assessments, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must also submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered per OPM's new resume guidance. To be considered, your resume must:
Clearly demonstrate your qualifications for the position
Include your contact information
We recommend using a clear, easy-to-read format and focusing on information most relevant to the job announcement.
RESUME: You must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position being filled, including any positive education requirements and/or selective placement factors. All applicants must submit a resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. Your resume must provide specific details as to how your experience meets the qualifications for the posted position(s). When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific; we will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee) and month, day, and year that you began and ended each position held. Without this information, the experience gained while in that position may not be credited toward meeting the qualifications requirements. The resume should indicate if the work is full-time or part-time. Part-time work is prorated (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience).
Experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. You resume must provide context and sufficient detail of your experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation (see Required Documents section).
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at Careers@ssa.gov or 000-000-0000.
Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Central Processing
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21235-0001
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted all of the required application materials and assessments, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
