Social Insurance Specialist (Claims Specialist) (GS-7/11)

Summary

LOCATION: This position is located in the Juneau, Alaska Field Office at 709 West Ninth Street Juneau, AK 99801. TOUR OF DUTY: Flextime | Full-time | No alternate work schedules will be allowed. TYPE OF POSITION: Permanent

Duties

The position description number for this position is 6F0240/A/B/C. A summary of the major duties is listed below. You may also view the full position description on the Agency intranet at the following link: PD Search This is a developmental position leading to the full performance level of GS-11. Closer supervision and technical guidance and/or on-the-job training are provided. Duties are gradually broadened so the incumbent is eventually performing all of the duties of the full performance level, position description number 6F0240. At the full performance level, the incumbent will conduct interviews with the public to obtain, clarify and verify information about initial and continuing eligibility for retirement, survivors, disability health insurance benefits and eligibility for supplemental security income including State supplements; resolve discrepancies, clarify issues and make final decisions for initial and post-entitlement for benefits and payments; adjudicate and authorize entitlement or disallowance actions at all levels of difficulty and complexity under programs administered by SSA; and use state of-the-art technology to access and update claims information.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered. Visit the 'Required Documents' section below for more information. Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the next lower grade level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. GS-7: Fifty-two weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include assisting individuals in filing applications for financial assistance, unemployment, Veterans benefits, insurance benefits, health benefits and/or social service programs; developing, processing, or authorizing claims; explaining benefit related programs to the general public and providing information through the media; or evaluating benefit program policies, procedures and guidelines. GS-9: Fifty-two weeks of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-7 level. Examples of specialized experience include assisting individuals in establishing their entitlement to receive benefits; adjudicating or investigating claims; or evaluating benefit programs to assess the integrity and quality of operations. GS-11: Fifty-two weeks of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-9 level. Examples of specialized experience include developing, examining, investigating or authorizing of claims under a program for SSA benefits, health insurance, pension plan, income maintenance or related programs. Applicants must also meet the following Selective Placement Factor(s) to qualify for this position: Meet and deal ability is required. Candidates who are in/have held positions requiring meet-and-deal certification do NOT have to submit documentation when applying for this position. Click here to view a list of positions that meet this requirement. By the closing date of the announcement, candidates who have not occupied SSA positions for which meet-and-deal ability is required as a selective placement factor MUST upload a completed Certification of Meet and Deal Ability form. If you do not submit the form by the closing date of the announcement, you will be disqualified for the position. If you do not already have this documentation, contact your supervisor or manager. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. GS-7: Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at the GS-5 or higher. GS-9: Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at the GS-7 or higher. GS-11: Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at the GS-9 or higher. Time in grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

GS-7: One full year of graduate level education in any field. One year of full-time graduate study is defined as 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours OR a combination of graduate level education and the specialized experience as described below OR a Bachelor's degree and superior academic achievement. GS-9: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successful completion of two academic years of progressively higher graduate education, or LL.B. or J.D. GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or successful completion of three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, or LL.M. Combining Education and Experience: GS-7: Experience and graduate level education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements. GS-9: Experience and graduate level education beyond the first year may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirement. GS-11: Experience and graduate level education beyond the second year may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirement. Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school you attended has determined to represent one year of study. If this information is not provided, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time graduate study. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position. Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined.

How you will be evaluated

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to perform the duties of the position: Knowledge of SSA mission, principles, objectives, policies, procedures, and entitlement programs. Ability to research, interpret and apply standards, directives, policies and legislation. Ability to communicate orally. Ability to communicate in writing. Skill in using online technology and automation tools. Ability to manage multiple priorities and balance workloads. Applicants will be assessed using the rating criteria listed in the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13107123

How to apply

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: SSA-45 The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section). The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (ET) on 11/27/2026. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Kamron Radtke at Kamron.Radtke@ssa.gov. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories APPLYING FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER OUTSIDE OF WORK SSA employees may access Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) postings and apply for vacancies from locations outside of SSA (e.g., from home, public computer, etc.). Please use the following link: www.ssa.gov/careers/ivol. Be sure to forward the link and other application materials (such as the SSA-45) to an email source accessible from outside of SSA (e.g. your personal computer, etc.). Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.

Other information

Position to be filled under the provisions of the SSA/AFGE Merit Promotion Plan. Additional selections may be made within 6 months of the date of the initial selection. Applications for noncompetitive consideration will be accepted from SSA employees in the area of consideration who are currently serving under the following types of appointments: Schedule A, Reg. 213.3102 (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities; Veterans Recruitment Appointments; and time limited appointments for veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Applicants serving under these provisions do not need to submit copies of your disability or Veteran's documentation. However, you must submit a current SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired. Otherwise, you will not receive non-competitive consideration. NOTE: Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration LOCALITY PAY: Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Refer to Salaries & Wages for locality pay tables. OTHER NOTES: This is a bargaining unit position, represented by AFGE. This position is a career ladder leading to GS-11. TRAINING: Candidates selected for this position may be required to attend a training class that lasts approximately 12 to 14 weeks. This training may be held outside of the selectee's normal commuting area. Relocation expenses may be authorized.