Decision Review Officer

This position is located in a Department of Veterans Affairs, Regional Office (VARO), Veterans Service Center or Pension Maintenance Center. The Rating Quality Review Specialist is an integral part of the Veterans Service Center's quality assurance program and is a key technical adviser to the Decision Review Officers (DROs) and Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSRs), in the Regional Office. Specific duties include: Performs individual quality reviews to determine the rating quality level of individual DROs and RVSRs for purposes of individual performance standards in accordance with an established monthly schedule. Conducts focused "in-process reviews" for cases to determine the accuracy of claims action taken. (Such reviews are for station-level feedback and improvement only, not used for individual performance standard purposes.) Responsible for sharing rating quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis and with the DROs and RVSRs during training sessions. Reviews products or activities for quality of performance and enters the results into the on-line STAR checklists. Evaluates and identifies deficiencies of all elements of a claim from evidence development, income and dependency issues, to award processing and authorization. Provides an explanation of errors and includes comments where attention is warranted. Prepares STAR data reports and provides to personnel in the regional office who are authorized to request and receive such reports. Develops various quality assurance processes with emphasis on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices. Ensures all program requirements imposed by Compensation Service and/or the Pension and Fiduciary Service and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims are met or implemented. Prepares documentation to support unfavorable finding in order to provide justification for error decisions and indicate required actions. Conducts statistical analysis of quality reviews to identify trends, significant problems areas and processes requiring improvement. Relays quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis for use in operations, decision making, and planning. Promotion Potential: None Work Schedule: Monday • Friday 8:00 am • 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Decision Review Officer; PD37138A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Bargaining Unit: Yes To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:09/25/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action," that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: You must have one (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (12). To qualify for GS-13: Specialized experience is defined as: work that involves functioning in either a capacity performing training, analyst or information systems duties of a claims management process. The experience should be substantive and relevant and may have been gained in the federal, military, or private sector. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Conducting reviews to analyze the quality of completed rated cases, Conducting evaluations and reviews on a quantitative or qualitative basis of claims development programs and operations to determine the effectiveness in meeting established goals and objectives; Preparing or conducting training activities; Identifying knowledge/skill gaps and plan training strategies; Providing and implementing data for one or more information management systems accurately and timely or providing technical guidance and direction to staff in the daily operation and maintenance of claims management systems. 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). 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. 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: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period 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 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. There is no educational substitution at this grade level.