The Assistant Director position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Human Capital Services (HCS), Office of Staff Operations and reports to the Deputy Executive Director of Human Resources Operations (DED-HRO). The Assistant Director serves as a principal advisor to the DED HRO and the Executive Director, Human Resources Center (HRC) on key HCS Operation matters that influence strategic workforce decisions across VBA.
Summary
The Assistant Director position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Human Capital Services (HCS), Office of Staff Operations and reports to the Deputy Executive Director of Human Resources Operations (DED-HRO). The Assistant Director serves as a principal advisor to the DED HRO and the Executive Director, Human Resources Center (HRC) on key HCS Operation matters that influence strategic workforce decisions across VBA.
This vacancy is open ONLY to current Office of Human Capital Services (HCS) employees and former VA career/career-conditional employees who are CTAP eligible.
Provide executive-level guidance to senior leadership by interpreting complex HR laws, regulations, and policies and recommending solutions to address high-impact human capital issues.
Oversee the delivery of HR operations to ensure services meet quality, timeliness, and compliance standards and align with VBA's strategic goals and merit system principles.
Lead complex, sensitive, and unprecedented initiatives by coordinating cross-functional teams, managing high-risk actions, and ensuring strategic outcomes that support organizational priorities.
Conduct research and analysis on HR policies and organizational proposals to determine impact, develop recommendations, and support informed decision-making.
Direct the execution of major HR operational activities, including reorganizations, workforce reshaping, retirement authorities, incentives, and recruitment strategies to sustain a high-quality, diverse workforce.
Oversee administrative operations within the Office of Staff Operations, ensuring policies are interpreted correctly, requirements are defined, and programs are managed effectively.
Ensure organizational compliance with regulatory and legal requirements by conducting audits, reviews, and investigations, maintaining documentation, and coordinating with General Counsel on complex compliance issues.
Manage and supervise subordinate supervisors and staff by setting priorities, assigning work, evaluating performance, resolving grievances, and developing long- and short-term workforce goals.
Oversee position management and workforce development activities, ensuring position descriptions are accurate, employee development plans are monitored, training needs are identified, and selections are made for vacancies.
Promote and enforce equal employment opportunity requirements by ensuring equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs are implemented and fully operational across assigned organizational areas.
Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: Current HCS staff with an out-based duty location will continue to report to their current approved duty location upon selection. Position Description/PD#: Assistant Director of Human Resources; PD402810 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
Selectees are required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/28/2026.
BASIC REQUIREMENT: To qualify for the HR Specialist position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements as described in 1 of the following methods: a. Merit-Based Method, b. Education-Based Method or c. Training-Based Method:
Method 1: Merit-Based Method. The Merit-Based Method allows for a candidate to meet the basic requirement by possession of 1 year of specialized experience requiring knowledge of and/or skill in applying basic HR concepts, laws, principles, policies, methods, practices and/or HR systems. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. This experience must be equivalent to at least the GS-4 level of the Federal Government.
OR
Method 2: Education-Based Method. The Education-Based Method allows for a candidate to meet the basic requirement by possession of the following: Successful completion of bachelor's degree (or higher).
OR
Method 3: Training-Based Method. The Training-Based Method allows for a candidate to meet the basic requirement by possession of the following: 6-months of general experience, equivalent to at least the GS-4 level of the Federal Government, requiring knowledge of and/or skill in applying laws, regulations, rules, principles, policies, methods, practices, supporting customers, communicating inwriting and/or verbally & using various computer systems & office equipment in administrative,
professional, technical or other responsible work positions, plus the possession of 1 of the four training criteria.
Training 1: Successful completion of at least 12 credit hours of college-level (associate degree or higher level) course work in any of the following types of fi elds, majors or programs or those closely related as evidenced by the course or programs: HR (general), HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and humanities.
Training 2: Successful completion of at least 4 formal training courses in HR. The focus of these HR courses will be in areas or those closely related to general HR, Federal HR, private sector/corporate HR or HR management. These courses must be offered through VA (i.e., Talent Management System courses), Federal agencies/departments (i.e., OPM Federal Human Resources Institute) or through external organizations (i.e., HR Certification Institute (HRCI®)Learning, HR University or Management Concepts). For the purpose of this standard, formal means interactive (online or in-person) training that includes communication between the participants and/or the instructor. Successful completion is evidenced by documentation of successful completion by the training organization.
Training 3: Successful completion of a formal certificate program in any of the areas (or related areas) listed in Training 1 (above) or those closely related as evidenced by the course or programs. A formal certificate program for the purposes of this standard means a series or set of courses that provide a foundational or advanced knowledge. The courses must have been provided by an accredited college, university, organization or company & must have required assignments and/or other course work. Examples of providers include, but are not limited to, Purdue University, Global Cornell University (i.e., eCornell) or Wharton School. Successful completion is evidenced by documentation of completion by the training organization.
Training 4: Current professional HR certification through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), HRCI®, International Public Management Association (IPMA) (or Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA)), American Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) or an organization or company that has a formal structure & is nationally recognized by the profession.
GS-0201 levels 12-15 Requirement: To qualify for a Human Resources (HR) Specialist GS-0201 at the GS-12-15 grade levels, candidates cannot qualify based on education only, they must possess either:
Criteria 1: Graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level OR
Criteria 2: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-14
AND
TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14 level.
The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-15 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-14) in the normal line of progression for the occupation. Specialized experience includes:
Providing senior-level leadership in HR operations.
Interpreting and applying Title 5 HR laws, regulations, and policies.
Directing major HR actions such as reorganizations, workforce shaping initiatives, and recruitment strategies.
Overseeing compliance and administrative program activities.
Conducting research and analysis to support organizational decisions.
Leading sensitive or complex HR initiatives.
Supervising HR staff.
Managing position descriptions and workforce development programs.
Ensuring implementation of equal employment opportunity requirements.
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; 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. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion, often working under strict deadlines or under stressful situations.
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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.
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/documents/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review:Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)
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. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Accountability
Customer Service
Decisiveness
Flexibility
Interpersonal Skills
Problem Solving
Resilience
Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
Human Capital Management: Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs. Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised, and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems. Manages a multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations.
Organizational Performance Analysis: Knowledge of the methods, techniques, and tools used to analyze program, organizational, and mission performance; includes methods that deliver key performance information (for example, comparative, trend, diagnostic, root cause, predictive) used to inform decisions, actions, communications, and accountability systems.
Problem Solving: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
Analytical Reasoning: Identifies issues and analyzes information to draw accurate conclusions, ensuring careful attention to detail. Dissects problems and information into their meaningful parts and uses logic and judgment to evaluate alternatives and develop solutions.
Customer Service: Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
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.
The USA Hire Assessments 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.
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 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.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package to include the documents detailed below. Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed.
Resume, limited to 2-pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
Additional Documents accepted:
Last two most recent Performance Appraisals (VA Form 0750)
Award SF-50s
CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal.
Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. 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:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
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:
VBA Human Resources Center - Central Office
810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20420
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. 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. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. 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.
Referred applicants may be contacted at any time during the hiring process. Please check all forms of communication (including email, voicemail, and spam folders), based on the contact information provided with your application, regularly to ensure you don't miss any updates. Failure to respond to communications may result in you being disqualified from consideration. You will receive a final notification of results once a decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
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 to include the documents detailed below. Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible. It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed.
Resume, limited to 2-pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties. If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level. Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
Additional Documents accepted:
Last two most recent Performance Appraisals (VA Form 0750)
Award SF-50s
CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal.
Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. 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:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
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:
VBA Human Resources Center - Central Office
810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20420
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. 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. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. 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.
Referred applicants may be contacted at any time during the hiring process. Please check all forms of communication (including email, voicemail, and spam folders), based on the contact information provided with your application, regularly to ensure you don't miss any updates. Failure to respond to communications may result in you being disqualified from consideration. You will receive a final notification of results once a decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
