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Inventory Management Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Health Care System - Columbia, SC

Summary

This position serves as a Property Manager in the Material Management Division of the Supply Chain Management Service and supported catchment area(s), with responsibility for the inventory and lifecycle management of all non-expendable (NX) equipment in the assigned area(s).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$50,460 - $80,243 per year

GS7: $50,460 - $65,599; GS9: $61,722 - $80,243

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - Some travel to clinic locations attached to the WJBD VA Health Care System for inventory management may be required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBTB-13113782-27-EDM
Control number
892849700

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Duties

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Major duties for this position may include (but are not limited to):

  • Conducts short, mid, and long-term advanced planning for new and replacement NX assets, utilizing enterprise-wide computerized planning tools.
  • Analyzes projected lifecycle, downtime, repair rates, lost workload, cost, depreciation, trade-in value and other factors which impact procurement decisions.
  • Participates in significant interaction and coordination with service lines, biomedical engineering, and other stakeholders to balance competing priorities.
  • Determines need to intervene in the supply system in response to fluctuations in rates of usage, cost, availability for established suppliers, alternative sources of supply, and other similar situations.
  • Participates in strategic planning to support major and minor constructions projects.
  • Develops and supports the creation of acquisition strategies and standardization initiatives to acquire and purchase high-tech, high-cost medical devices, surgical equipment devices and major classes of materials.
  • Conducts data/information analysis for acquisition planning associated with materials and/or capital equipment.
  • Assists in the creation of Performance Work Statements for equipment procurement.
  • Researches alternative sources for equipment procurement.
  • Analyzes and advises on equipment purchase recommendations.
  • Conducts market research on product pricing and performance, and identifies equipment items that offer the greatest potential for standardization.
  • Corresponds with procurement officials, vendors, project engineers and other stakeholders to resolve issues such as inspection, installation, training and deployment.
  • Coordinates final disposition of NX assets including the reutilization program and organizes requirements of hazardous material disposal.
  • Disposes of surplus or excess property in accordance with specific agency directives.
  • Manages and controls NX assets for the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Health Care System and its supported catchment area.
  • Makes decisions and commitments for the VA HCS and catchment area on equipment that materially affects the health care mission.
  • Ensures equipment accountability at each service line is appropriately managed, assigned, and and monitored through monthly inspection.
  • Analyzes specific situations related to equipment loss and determines specific facts for plans of action.
  • Trains and assists delegated custodial officials on equipment acquisition, disposal scanning and tracking of equipment for EIL Custodial official Inventories, providing oversight and project management.
  • Schedules and conducts physical inventories.
  • Manages and controls all inventory transactions for non-expendable medical equipment requests.
  • Manages the facility property accountability program.
  • Initiates and reviews reports of survey (ROS) for lost, damaged, or stolen property.
  • Assists medical center police in the investigation of all lost property.
  • Resolves inventory problems requiring extensive and exhaustive research of receipts, issues, surveys, and other available sources.
  • Capitalizes all equipment over $1,000,000 in the EIL and Fixed Asset Package (FAP)reports monthly depreciation values to fiscal service.
  • Identifies and rectifies asset management issues with other services, VISN-level staff, or support contractors.
  • May be directed to travel to all WJBD VA HCS catchment area locations to perform equipment management duties, transferring of equipment and disposal/recycling of equipment.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM EST
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Inventory Management Specialist/PD99824S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
  • 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 identification 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, 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, 11/23/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS5, and for a GS9 position you must have worked 52 weeks at the GS7. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

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

FOR GS7:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
    • Conducting research and maintaining perpetual inventory accounts for non-expendable equipment in a data base system
    • Determining required sources of equipment, purchase card program and simplified acquisition procedures
    • Using bar code scanning equipment and appropriate tagging equipment to implement property accounting systems
    • Researching and analyzing information to resolve questions and issues, and improve operations
    • Advising on the management, control, and accountability of equipment in use. OR,
  • Superior Academic Achievement: Students may qualify based on achieving superior academic standing as evidenced by one of the three methods described below:
    • Class Standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
    • Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
      • 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
      • 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum.
    • Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies listed below. Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the bachelors degree level.

FOR GS9:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
    • Maintaining inventory control records in an automated system.
    • Managing a property management program and determining the means and methods to resolve issues and improve operations.
    • Determining required sources of equipment, purchase card program and simplified acquisition procedures.
    • Researching and analyzing information to include tracing sequences of inventory management transactions.
    • Advising on the management, control and accountability of equipment in use. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 full years of graduate level education leading to a Master's Degree that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the bachelors degree level.

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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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 the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and 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 current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Order of Consideration:

  1. CTAP/ICTAP eligible applicants
  2. Current facility employees
  3. Current VA employees nationwide
  4. Current Federal employees nationwide
  5. Veterans, former Federal employees and all other eligible applicants

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 for this position:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Teamwork


Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Emerson Mitchell
Phone
903-583-6204
Email
Emerson.Mitchell@va.gov
Address
Columbia VA Health Care System
6439 Garners Ferry Road
Columbia, SC 29209
US

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