Voluntary Services Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee

Full Job Description

The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/21/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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.

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.

GS7: You may qualify based on education and/or experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: working for a company, organization, or department specializing in volunteer and/or philanthropic activities; communicating with individuals and groups in the community; performing technical program development for a specialized program; performing record keeping and recognition of a volunteer and/or philanthropic program; and experience identifying skills and attitudes necessary for volunteer assignments..

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of successfully completed Graduate level education in any field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position OR Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the undergraduate level in any field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position (see below for additional guidance on SAA) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree.

NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications Customer Service Managing Human Resources Organizational Stewardship Information Technology Usage An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1academic year of full-time study.

This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program.

If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours will be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): A bachelor's degree in any field that meets the knowledge, skills and abilities of the position with a superior class ranking demonstrated by one of the following: a) Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision.

b) A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.

c) A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.

d) Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials.

Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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/.

Physical Requirements: The work is partly sedentary; however, it requires considerable walking throughout the facility during the day, as well as some evenings and weekends for the purpose of special programs or volunteer recruitment.

The work involves writing at a desk, sitting in conferences and meetings, standing, walking, bending, pushing a small cart, carrying light items, lifting moderate weighty items, and driving an automobile.

Major Duties:

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field.

Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor.

Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location.

*Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements.

This is a developmental position leading to a GS-9, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision.

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.

Major duties and responsibilities include: Through training in all work areas of Voluntary Service, provides support in overall integration of community-based volunteer participation in appropriate areas of medical care and administrative functions within the facility.

Interviews, schedules, performs placement, and evaluation of new volunteers.

Consults with clinical and administrative staff to develop appropriate volunteer assignments and conducting appropriate follow-up activities to assure both adequate supervision and on-the-job training are provided.

Determines schedules and conducts general orientation programs for new volunteers. Provides overall supervision and coordination specific volunteer programs.

Resolves issues as they arise and consulting with Voluntary Service Program Manager and/or the Preceptor if policies or procedures require revision. Manages Voluntary Service timekeeping program.

Compiles information for the preparation of statistical and narrative reports assigned by the Program Manager or Preceptor.

Reviews and analyzes monthly reports and inform the program manager or preceptor of program trends, processing issues, and make recommendations for process improvement.

Communicates to influence, motivate and persuade individuals to participate in the Voluntary Service program; Raises awareness in the community of the program to recruit, orient, and place volunteers; Assists in coordinating special events.

Work schedule: Full-Time, Monday through Friday. Actual hours will depend on the needs of the service and the mission of the agency.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not available Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies.

This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Position Description Title/PD#: Voluntary Services Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee/PD99271-TS