Telephone Operator

Summary

This position is located in the Telecommunications Unit under the direction of the Chief of Ambulatory Care and Processing of the Medical Administration Service at the VA Maryland Health Care System.

Applicant Cut-Off: This vacancy is set to close at 11:59pm EST on the date that 200 applications are received. If that number is not reached, the closing date will be October 22, 2026.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

• Providing telephone and related telecommunications services;
• Using telephone consoles, various emergency alarms, police radio communication equipment, and a facility short and long range paging system;
• Routing patients, their representatives, employees, and other callers to the correct location and program;
• Using computerized equipment and telecommunications software;
• Interviewing callers to determine the nature of their call;
• Initiating traces with local telephone and police authorities on calls that are threatening or emergent in nature;
• Maintaining a record of all calls;
• Operating internal and external paging systems;
• Setting up, monitoring, and sending confirmations for bridge-line conference calls;
• Maintaining operation manuals, reference books, and/or instructions associated with procedures and systems;
• Performing related duties as required.

Work Schedule: Rotating shifts to include nights, weekends, and holidays.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-04: One year of progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of this position. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. ~OR~

An associate's degree or 2 years of successfully completed education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. ~OR~

An equivalent combination of general experience and post high school education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position and meets the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Your experience must be detailed in your resume and transcripts are required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Communications
• Computer Skills
• Organizational Stewardship

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary in nature. No special physical demands are required to perform the duties of this position.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.