Field Office - Claims Specialist

Summary

Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA)(SSA-001) , open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given new appointments to the civil service. Under the provisions of the DHA, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Many" do not apply.

NOTE : Telework may be available in accordance with agency policy. This IS NOT a virtual position.

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Duties

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Once selected for the Claims Specialist position in SSA, you will contribute to the Agency's mission through direct and personal service to the public. This includes speaking with beneficiaries about their rights under the Social Security laws, gathering facts and evidence to establish eligibility for benefits, making critical decisions to determine the amount of benefits paid to individuals, and using state-of-the-art computer technology to access and update information about claims.

Claims Specialists 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. In addition, they 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.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Selective Service Registration, if applicable (
• Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results
• Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
• Relocation expenses will not be paid
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
• Must pass Competency Assessment Interview Process (CAIP) interview.
• Selectees are required to complete an 11-13-week technical training class.
• Selectees will be required to attend and successfully complete, formal technical training onsite at a designated SSA facility.
• Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Cut-Off Dates to receive applications will be used for this announcement.

• First Cut-Off Date: June 1, 2026

• Final Cut-Off and Closing Date: June 24, 2026

The initial cut-off date will be used to begin applicant consideration. Applications received after the initial cut-off date will only be considered if needed.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:

GS-5: Three years of general experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the federal service that demonstrates the ability to 1) review problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; 2) plan and organize work; and 3) communicate effectively orally and in writing. An example of qualifying experience include reviewing, explaining, applying or interpreting rules, regulation or policies.

GS-7: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level (or equivalent) that demonstrates the ability to (1) assist individuals in establishing their entitlement to receive benefits (e.g., retirement, disability, public aid, insurance, taxes, etc.); (2) adjudicate, authorize or reconsider claims; (3) explain benefit (e.g., retirement, disability, public aid, insurance, taxes, etc.) entitlements or requirements to the general public; (4) evaluate benefit (e.g., retirement, disability, public aid, insurance, taxes, etc.) program operations to assess the integrity and quality; or (5) interpret benefit (e.g., retirement, disability, public aid, insurance, taxes, etc.) program requirements to formulate policies, procedures or guidelines.

GS-9 : Fifty-two weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade 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.

Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period), you will be credited with 6 months of experience.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR

COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW PROCESS (CAIP) INTERVIEW - Applicants will be required to participate in a panel interview (after basic eligibility determination) to demonstrate an aptitude for meeting and dealing with the public. Applicants must pass this interview process in order to be found fully qualified for this position and receive further consideration for selection. This interview will cover typical situations, which might be encountered on the job, in person or over the telephone. Applicants must demonstrate qualities such as clarity of speech, ability to listen, ability to establish confidence and put others at ease and the ability to organize and express thoughts clearly. If you do not pass the CAIP interview, you will not qualify for the job. Panel interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible.

Education

SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION: If you are qualifying for this position based on completed education at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other educational institution, you must provide a copy of your transcripts or other proof of education prior to being appointed. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.

GS-5: Completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree OR a combination of post-high school education and the general experience described above. One year of study is defined as 30 earned semester hours or 45 earned quarter hours.

GS-7: One full year of graduate level education in any field. One year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 earned semester hours or 27 earned quarter hours. A combination of graduate level education and the specialized experience as described above OR a Bachelor's degree and superior academic achievement in any field can be applied as a substitution. Superior academic achievement is based on:

• Graduated in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision; OR
• Graduated with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher out of 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
• Graduated with a 3.5 GPA or higher based on the average of all the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
• Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society that meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (except for freshman honor societies).

GS-9 : Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. If you are selected for the position, you must provide your official college transcripts prior to being appointed.

COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

GS-5: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

GS-7: Experience and graduate level education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

GS-9: Experience and higher-level graduate education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined.

For information on providing proof of education or substituting education for experience, visit General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov)

Additional information

This position is located in the Safford, AZ Field Office at 650 S. 14th Ave., Safford, AZ.

This is a career-ladder position offering the opportunity for annual promotion based on performance leading up to the GS-11 grade level.

This is a bargaining unit position represented by the American Federation of Government Employees.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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.

For an overview of SSA Benefits, please visit the following YouTube link -

This announcement serves as public notice. Applications submitted will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available.

Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6-month eligibility period has elapsed.

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.