The Training Specialist position is located within VHA, Member Services, Business Support Office, Training and Quality Management department and is responsible for planning, analyzing, developing, designing, delivering, implementing, evaluating, updating, facilitating, and coordinating training-related services and activities. Incumbent will also provide training advice and guidance in the areas of training course development and design, delivery, evaluation, and modification.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/11/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR)The below IOR is a requirement set by OPM for this occupational series to be met by every applicant in order to move on to the regular qualifications process. The IOR Education or Specialized Experience must be met. IOR Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education with a Major study in Education or a subject area related to the position to be filled. or IOR Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge of the subject area of the position and of the methods and techniques of instruction. Examples of qualifying IOR Specialized Experience includes: Teaching or instructing in an adult education program, secondary school, college, military installation, or industrial establishment in the appropriate field(s) Supervising or administering a training program Development or review of training/course materials, aids, devices, etc., and evaluation of training results Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others on a regular basis You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience (GS-09): You must have one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of GS-09 Specialized Experience include (but are not limited to): Coordinates and facilities projects, meetings and workgroups to obtain needed information for planning and developmental purposes. Independently evaluates course, planning and conducting validity and reliability studies to analyze such things as test items prepared by instructors. Develops recommendations for course revisions. Conducts special studies, prepares briefings and reports, and serves as backup trainer to other programs. Provides training advice and guidance in the areas of training course development and design, delivery, evaluation and modification. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required Specialized Experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., (if related) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this GS-09 level. You must have a combination of Specialized Experience and Education beyond a bachelors or equivalent degree (if related). Specialized Experience (GS-11): You must have one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of GS-11 Specialized Experience include (but are not limited to): Provides training advice and guidance in the areas of training course development, design, delivery, evaluation, and modification Develops complete and self-contained training products (full-length courses, job aids, training plans, quizzes, etc...) Instructs courses in a formal program of instruction Modifies course materials and training plans for specific audiences, i.e., various business lines and employee learning styles Establishes working relationships with stakeholders and integral program areas to determine training needs and gaps Works closely with other team members and Training Technicians to ensure training publications meet established standards for migration into the production environment Determines the need for additional subject matter information and meets with representatives inside and outside the organization to obtain it OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required Specialized Experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., (if related) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this GS-11 level. You must have a combination of Specialized Experience and Education beyond a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., (if related). 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/.
Major Duties include (but are not limited to): Revises the accuracy, currency, relevancy, and consistency of the content maintained within training course materials, references, and related documents; Coordinates and facilitates projects, meetings, and work groups to obtain needed information for planning and developing training courses; Develops recommendations for revising test items to improve clarity and adequacy of training courses; Plans and conducts validity and reliability studies to analyze such things as test items prepared by instructors; and Works with Information Technology (IT) staff on technical requirements, software systems, and/or databases needed to support program requirements 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 hour shift between 7AM-7PM (TBD by Supervisor) Remote: This position is not authorized for Remote work. Telework: This position may be authorized for Telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual work. Virtual eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Definition of Virtual work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at VA-owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO exemptions will be considered and a determination will be made as part of the selection and onboarding process. Position Description/PD#: Training Specialist/PD07472A and PD07611A