Transportation Assistant

Summary The Transportation Assistant works within the Veterans Transportation Service at the Syracuse VA Medical Center along with several Community Based Outpatient Clinics. This position is a Transportation Coordinator at the facility level and acts as the primary contact to Veterans for transportation needs. Responsibilities Works closely with the Chief Business Officer, Fiscal Staff, and other stakeholders to ensure Beneficiary Travel, Special Mode Transportation, fraud prevention, patient funds and ambulance billing programs are complying with Code of Federal Regulations, Veterans Transportation Program, and local policies. Works closely with clinical staff and other health care professionals within the Veterans Administration as well as Community Care providers, for coordination of Veterans transportation needs. Responsible for overall planning, coordination, implementation, management, and evaluation of clinical applications of patient transportation with emphasize on improving care, safety of Veterans in a cost-effective approach. In accordance with established beneficiary travel policy, per physician documentation and according to traveler's medical condition, decides either common carrier or special mode transportation. Accepts inbound Beneficiary Travel calls from Veterans and staff concerning transportation arrangements and responds to questions or problems related to reimbursement benefits. Independently manages the Medical Center's Beneficiary Travel program using eligibility criteria and regulatory authorities to appropriately administer program benefits to eligible Veterans and caretakers. Determines eligibility for government-sponsored travel using applicable federal regulations and policies for program benefits. Responsible for fund control point management for mileage reimbursements. Interacts with various other transportation services such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) etc., and other transportation providers. Performs other related duties assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Telework: Not eligible for Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Transportation Assistant/PD99780S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 ( 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/02/2026. 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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: collecting, compiling, tracking and analyzing data and statistical information in support of transportation; contacting customers to determine transportation needs and requirements; managing schedules for daily activities; entering information into an automated tracking system; and communicating and treating customers in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner.. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer Skills Control of Funds Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Medical Information Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management 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. Physical Requirements: Work involves various physical demands requiring the employee to be versatile in the many functions performed. These include sedentary work performed at a desk with intermittent standing, walking, bending, and lifting of lightweight records or supplies. Work is performed in an office setting. Work is performed within view and hearing of patients and the general public. The Transportation Assistant has direct contact with patients and possible exposure to contagious diseases. Immediate attention is required for travel and patient funds activities, while lodging arrangements must be completed timely. Meeting these obligations may present varied demands on the Transportation Assistant. Patients may present skeptical, agitated, uncooperative, and some may become hostile or dangerous. The work environment is multifaceted, complex, and demanding. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.