[Hiring] Veterans Claims Examiner - Education Benefits Specialist @Muskogee Regional Benefit Office

Role Description

This position is in the Education Call Center Division within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Regional Processing Office (RPO) in Muskogee, OK. Employees review education awards to ensure proper payment, eligibility, and entitlement regulations and laws have been applied in processing the education award. Advises education claimants and their representatives via telephone of their benefits, rights, and privileges which they are entitled to under the law administered by VA.

• Assists individuals in developing needed evidence, preparing required documentation, and resolving errors and/or delays in obtaining benefits.
• Explains the types of documents necessary to facilitate timely processing of claims and assists in obtaining and completing such documents and forms in accordance with the type of claim being submitted.
• Responsible for counseling veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries via telephone in a high-volume call center regarding the full range of education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Explores all avenues of assistance available to veterans, beneficiaries, and dependents and takes initiative to encourage individuals to fully utilize these benefits.
• Researches issue(s) to include direct contact with RO of jurisdiction if warranted, or in course of research, with other Federal or state agencies as necessary.
• Explains decisions and reasons for decisions made by the VA and communicates verbally this information to the claimant.
• Informs individuals of their right to appeal decisions and explains the appeal process.
• Provides advice, expertise, and problem-solving assistance to claimants who call the National Education Call Center using discretion and tact when communicating negative or stressful information.
• Exhibits the ability to complete the contact independently and refer few calls to a higher level.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. The grade progression for this position is GS-09.

Work Schedule: Full time 10:00 am - 6:30 pm CST / Training hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm CST

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is a REMOTE Position

Position Description/PD#: Veterans Claims Examiner - Education Benefits Specialist (EBS); PD37924A

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Qualifications

• Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 09/08/2026.
• 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.
• For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level.
• OR Superior Academic Achievement: Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement for two-grade interval positions in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position.
• OR 1 academic year of graduate education (or law school, as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position.
• 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.

Requirements

• GS-07 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression (GS-5).
• Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Counseling individuals about federal, state, or local benefits by explaining legal provisions, regulations, or decisions to a variety of audiences.
• Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement.
• 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).
• 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

• This work is primarily sedentary.
• The EBS will be required to talk for long periods of time, which occasionally puts a strain on the throat/vocal cords.
• There are no other special physical demands required to perform the work.
• There may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items such as papers, books, claim folders, and files from one desk to another or for returning to storage.
• Extensive use of a computer and a telephone with a headset is required.