The position description number is PD6F1030. View the full description at the following link: PD Search
The incumbent will independently conduct complex studies, analyses, and process improvement initiatives related to the assigned program area. The incumbent provides recommendations to management on program effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance, and supports the development and implementation of agency policies and initiatives.
Summary
The position description number is PD6F1030. View the full description at the following link: PD Search
The incumbent will independently conduct complex studies, analyses, and process improvement initiatives related to the assigned program area. The incumbent provides recommendations to management on program effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance, and supports the development and implementation of agency policies and initiatives.
Current permanent SSA employees in Service Delivery and Accountability in Disability Adjudication. Please include your organization (component) AND office on your SSA-45/resume. FOR EXAMPLE: Organization= Disability Adjudication, Office = Service Delivery and Accountability
Performs complex special studies and projects within the assigned program area, involving review, evaluation, and recommendations for improvement in existing methods, policies, issues, and practices.
Conducts analyses that affect the development of agency policy; identifies and evaluates methods of implementing policy proposals; presents findings to policy makers to aid them in examining complex proposals.
Prepares or coordinates the preparation of confidential reports, briefing materials, or background information for senior management on a variety of programmatic and administrative concerns; the information may involve sensitive/controversial issues.
Develops and prepares discussion, technical, position and policy papers, briefing notes, and presentations that synthesize complicated information or define, describe, and compare various courses of action.
All application materials must be received by the closing date.
Applicants must be in good standing.
Applicants must have a fully successful rating of record.
Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
Requests for copies of application documents will not be accepted.
All application forms submitted become the property of SSA Human Resources.
Qualifications
***YOUR RESUME/SSA-45 MUST INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT AND PERMANENT ORGANIZATION (i.e., component) AND OFFICE IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED*** This position is only open to employees in Service Delivery and Accountability.
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent experience, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The specialized experience required is: Experience reviewing and evaluating Disability Adjudication policies, processes, and program data to develop recommendations for leadership that strengthen operational effectiveness across Disability Determination Services, Hearings, or Appeals.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
All of the specialized experience is REQUIRED and must be explicitly documented and described in your resume, or you will be disqualified from further consideration.
Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-12.
Time in grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
NONCOMPETITIVE CONSIDERATION DUE TO SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY
Applications for noncompetitive consideration will be accepted from SSA employees in the area of consideration who are currently serving under the following types of appointments: Schedule A, Reg. 213.3102 (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities and time limited appointments for veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Applicants serving under these provisions do not need to submit copies of your disability or Veteran's documentation.However, you must submit a current SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired. Otherwise, you will not receive non-competitive consideration.
NOTE: Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration.
This is a non-bargaining unit position to be filled under the provisions of the Management Officials Promotion Plan. The best-qualified list for this vacancy may be used to fill the same or similar positions in a component(s) under the same Deputy Commissioner. Additional selections may be made within 6 months of the date the best qualified list is issued.
LOCALITY PAY: Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Candidates currently receiving a higher locality pay than the office applied for are advised that should they be selected, they will lose entitlement to the higher locality pay.
Selectees may remain in their permanent Official Duty Station if outside the Baltimore, MD/Washington, D.C. local commuting area. Employees will be assigned to, and expected to report to, a Hearings Office. This is not a virtual assignment.
OTHER NOTES:
This position is eligible for telework in accordance with agency policy.
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
This is a high risk public trust position. The selected employee will be required to complete a Standard Form 85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, in order to have the appropriate investigation conducted, unless the employee has been previously certified eligible to occupy a position at this level.
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.
Applicants will be rated based on the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Knowledge of SSA and DA organizational and operational processes. 30 max points
Ability to communicate orally and in writing. 30 max points
Skill in preparing reports and presentations. 30 max points
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective work relationships. 30 max points
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following section provides information on supporting documentation that must be submitted.
SSA-45 (all applicants) -- Please submit your SSA-45 under Other category labeled 'SSA-45'. SSA-45s may be longer than 2-pages, at this time. You may submit an SSA-45 instead of a resume.
Note: Your SSA-45/resume must include your current and permanent organization (i.e., component) AND the address of your duty station location. *We must be able to clearly decipher the component and the office you work in, AND geographic location you work in if required for eligibilities*. This information is instrumental in determining eligible applicants. If your application does not include your component and duty station location, your application may be ineligible for consideration.
TO SUBMIT A RESUME:Per OPM's new resume guidance, resumes must be limited to 2 pages only. Additional documents such as the SSA-45 may be uploaded using the 'Other documents' option.
SF-50 recommended for all applicants to show placement in your current and permanent position, grade, duty station location, organizational location, appointment authority under which you were hired, etc. Must be submitted for applicants for Noncompetitive Consideration due to a Special Hiring Authority only.
Your SSA-45 must provide all of the information necessary to make qualifications determinations (e.g., all experience related to your qualifications for this position, full performance level of your current position, the dates at each grade level of your current or prior career-ladder position(s), etc.). These documents will be referred to the selecting official if you are eligible for the best qualified list. Employees' Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
Your SSA-45 must specifically demonstrate, in your own words, the possession of the required experience related to the minimum qualifications, selective placement factors and/or evaluation criteria. Information that is copied or restated language from the vacancy announcement, rating criteria, KSAs and/or position description will not be considered. If this occurs, you may lose consideration for one or more grade levels or found ineligible.
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 follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements
Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire.
Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section).
The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 10/30/2026. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration.
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 Stacy Casswell at Stacy.Casswell@ssa.gov.
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
APPLYING FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER OUTSIDE OF WORK
SSA employees may access Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) postings and apply for vacancies from locations outside of SSA (e.g., from home, public computer, etc.). Please use the following link: https://www.ssa.gov/careers/ivol. Be sure to forward the link and other application materials (such as the SSA-45) to an email source accessible from outside of SSA (e.g., your personal computer, etc.).
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account and select "Application Status". If your status has not been updated, then no changes have occurred since your referral. Please note that the selecting official may choose to interview all, some, or none of the referred candidates. You will be contacted directly if you are to be interviewed.
Additionally, you will receive notification via email to the email address in your USAJOBS profile when your status is updated, such as if another applicant was selected or the posting was cancelled.
Disability Adjudication
6401 Security Blvd
Woodlawn, MD 21235
US
Next steps
After all of the applications have been evaluated, you will receive notification via email explaining the status of your application. If you applied incorrectly or submitted an incomplete application, we will be unable to send you an electronic receipt of your application. Please read the How to Apply instructions carefully to ensure that you submit a complete application.
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.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following section provides information on supporting documentation that must be submitted.
SSA-45 (all applicants) -- Please submit your SSA-45 under Other category labeled 'SSA-45'. SSA-45s may be longer than 2-pages, at this time. You may submit an SSA-45 instead of a resume.
Note: Your SSA-45/resume must include your current and permanent organization (i.e., component) AND the address of your duty station location. *We must be able to clearly decipher the component and the office you work in, AND geographic location you work in if required for eligibilities*. This information is instrumental in determining eligible applicants. If your application does not include your component and duty station location, your application may be ineligible for consideration.
TO SUBMIT A RESUME:Per OPM's new resume guidance, resumes must be limited to 2 pages only. Additional documents such as the SSA-45 may be uploaded using the 'Other documents' option.
SF-50 recommended for all applicants to show placement in your current and permanent position, grade, duty station location, organizational location, appointment authority under which you were hired, etc. Must be submitted for applicants for Noncompetitive Consideration due to a Special Hiring Authority only.
Your SSA-45 must provide all of the information necessary to make qualifications determinations (e.g., all experience related to your qualifications for this position, full performance level of your current position, the dates at each grade level of your current or prior career-ladder position(s), etc.). These documents will be referred to the selecting official if you are eligible for the best qualified list. Employees' Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
Your SSA-45 must specifically demonstrate, in your own words, the possession of the required experience related to the minimum qualifications, selective placement factors and/or evaluation criteria. Information that is copied or restated language from the vacancy announcement, rating criteria, KSAs and/or position description will not be considered. If this occurs, you may lose consideration for one or more grade levels or found ineligible.
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 follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements
Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire.
Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section).
The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 10/30/2026. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration.
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 Stacy Casswell at Stacy.Casswell@ssa.gov.
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
APPLYING FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER OUTSIDE OF WORK
SSA employees may access Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) postings and apply for vacancies from locations outside of SSA (e.g., from home, public computer, etc.). Please use the following link: https://www.ssa.gov/careers/ivol. Be sure to forward the link and other application materials (such as the SSA-45) to an email source accessible from outside of SSA (e.g., your personal computer, etc.).
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account and select "Application Status". If your status has not been updated, then no changes have occurred since your referral. Please note that the selecting official may choose to interview all, some, or none of the referred candidates. You will be contacted directly if you are to be interviewed.
Additionally, you will receive notification via email to the email address in your USAJOBS profile when your status is updated, such as if another applicant was selected or the posting was cancelled.
Disability Adjudication
6401 Security Blvd
Woodlawn, MD 21235
US
Next steps
After all of the applications have been evaluated, you will receive notification via email explaining the status of your application. If you applied incorrectly or submitted an incomplete application, we will be unable to send you an electronic receipt of your application. Please read the How to Apply instructions carefully to ensure that you submit a complete application.
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.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
