Social Service Representative

The primary purpose of the position is to complete a basic suicide questionnaire followed by a homeless crisis questionnaire. The Incumbent will respond to questions, research, identify and resolve issues pertaining to the Veterans who need assistance through the VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) Crisis Hotline Program.

Major duties

• Receives inbound telephone calls and Web Chats from Veterans, their families and/or legal representatives
• Assists Veterans and others by connecting them and/or referring them to local VA Resources, community non-profits or other social resources
• Determines appropriate action or identifies alternatives in resolving issues through in-depth research, interpretation and analysis of record information
• Prepares and maintains comprehensive administrative records of calls and specific actions taken
• Enters call information into a computer system
• Interacts with clinicians, patients and their family
• Completes a basic suicide assessment when Veterans call in

Work Schedule: Full time, 40 hours per week/8 hours per shift. This is a 24-hour, 7-day per week call center, to include days, nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays. The tour of duty is based on organizational needs and will be established after successful completion of the training.

Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad hoc Telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption already in place.

Position Description/PD#: Social Service Representative/PD03863A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/02/2026.

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 GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as work that involves:

• Completing incoming and outgoing calls in a call center to assess caller needs
• Utilizing critical decision-making skills to quickly, logically, and accurately prioritize difficult needs and potential situations
• Maintaining comprehensive administrative records of calls and specific actions taken
• Using Microsoft Office and other VHA-related computer programs to enter, research and/or update data records
• Conducting suicide assessments of callers via telephone interview

~OR~

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a one-full academic year of graduate level education with a major study in social sciences. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level as long as the combined education and experience meets the total qualification requirements.

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/.

Requirements

• 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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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.