Summary Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA)(SSA-001), open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given new appointments to the civil service. Under the provisions of the DHA, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Three" do not apply. NOTE: Telework may be available in accordance with agency policy. This IS NOT a virtual position. Responsibilities This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available. Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6-month eligibility period has elapsed. Applications may also be gathered from additional recruitment sources. These applications will be added to the pool created by this announcement. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are using experience to qualify, you must have: GS-5: One (1) year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal Service performing all or most of the following tasks: Applying laws, rules or regulations and written guidelines; Communicating orally in order to provide information, assistance, or instructions to members of the general public or their representatives; Performing administrative and clerical processes using a computer to reconcile discrepancies, associate documents with related files/records, etc.; Writing correspondence in response to inquiries and drafted a variety of other written products. GS-6: One (1) year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal Service performing all or most of the following tasks: Reviewing legal or medical documents for accuracy in accordance with applicable rules and regulations; Communicating with a wide variety of individuals in order to provide or elicit information; Applying & interpreting laws, rules or regulations and written guidelines; Using a computer to prepare correspondence in draft and final form or to prepare reports. GS-7: One (1) year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in the Federal Service performing all or most of the following tasks: Reviewing and processing a variety of legal and/or medical documentation, records and evidence in accordance with applicable rules & regulations; Communicating with a wide variety of individuals in order to provide advice/guidance about medical or legal claims, hearings process, insurance claims, or other related programs; Interpreting complex laws, rules or regulations and written guidelines & explaining the provisions to others; Using a computer to prepare correspondence and has experience using word processing software (i.e., Word, Access, Excel) for data input, queries, reports or case tracking. Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period), you will be credited with 6 months of experience. Education SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION: If you are qualifying for this position based on completed education at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other educational institution, you must provide a copy of your transcripts or other proof of education prior to being appointed. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services. GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study above high school (e.g., 120 earned semester hours, 180 earned quarter hours, bachelor's degree, etc.). GS-6/7: Substitution of education is not applicable at these grade levels. COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements. GS-5: Education course work equivalent to a baccalaureate program beyond the second year (e.g., in excess of the first 60 earned semester or 90 earned quarter hours) is creditable toward meeting the minimum qualification requirements. Note: Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined. Additional Information The announced position is currently NOT virtual or eligible for outstationing. Selectee will be required to report to the Tacoma Hearing Office location in Tacoma, WA. This position is located in the Tacoma Hearing Office at 2413 Pacific Ave, Ste 200, Tacoma, WA 98402. This position may be eligible for telework in accordance with agency and office policy. This is a career-ladder position offering the opportunity for annual promotion based on performance leading up to the GS-8 grade level. Normally candidates are hired at step one unless they have documented prior federal experience with no break in service. This is a bargaining unit position represented by the American Federation of Government Employees. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov. Locality Pay: Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Please visit OPM's Salaries & Wages page for the locality area definitions and pay scales. You may attend the Social Security Administration's Open House via MS Teams on June 4, 2024 at 11:00AM CST/12:00PM EST until 12:00PM CST/1:00PM EST at the following link: https://msteams.link/B84Z MS Teams may be downloaded at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app