Administrative Support Assistant

Summary

Employee will be assigned to Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, Birmingham, AL. The primary purpose of the Administrative Support Assistant (ASA) is to provide Automated Data Processing Application Coordination (ADPAC), technical assistance, records management and training compliance, office automation analysis, and administrative, fiscal, and clerical support to the research program office.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

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

Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Serves as the expert on all administrative matters as well as the point of contact for the Research and Development Service.
• Provides project management support to research leadership in preparing reports and presentations pertaining to on-going research studies and all facets of the Research and Development (R&D) program.
• Analyzes data from various research files and databases to assist research leadership in preparing action plans following any audit or inspection findings.
• Reviews standard operating procedures and narrative reports to identify and correct apparent discrepancies with directive and regulatory changes.
• Works with Human Resources (HR) to complete all necessary forms and documentation.
• Completes reports and utilizes complex timekeeping systems, Access databases, Excel spreadsheets and other programs.
• Evaluates documents and correspondence for completeness, including grammar and spelling, ensuring administrative regulatory requirements are followed; and enters pertinent information into an automated tracking system or creates spreadsheets/databases to track them.
• Performs a range of personnel actions to include onboarding research staff, utilizing HR tracking systems and dashboards, etc.
• Handles all internal and external calls for the research program.
• Maintains an accurate inventory of records created and stored for regulatory compliance; and ensures that records conform with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, ethical standards, and accreditation requirements.
• Performs a range of automated data processing related tasks (i.e., assign users to classes, assign menu options, assign email groups, etc.).
• Functions as the primary timekeeper for Research Service.
• Updates employee files and maintains a variety of records such as organizational charts, addresses, telephone numbers, vacation schedules, numerical logs, ledgers, and other personnel files.
• Maintains an office calendar and assists with scheduling meetings and events.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

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, 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 at the GS-7 level, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience working with a human resources or personnel database to track and ensure specific credentialing and privileging criteria are met for healthcare/research staff? NOTE: To receive credit for this experience, please be sure detailed information is included in your resume.

~AND~

Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-6 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: assisting with daily activities of a program/project; collecting and analyzing data; maintaining and utilizing databases and tracking systems; maintaining records; performing timekeeping; and preparing a range of correspondence and reports. NOTE: To receive credit for this experience, please be sure detailed information is included in your resume.

Physical Requirements: No special physical demands are required to perform the work. The work is mostly sedentary. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers, books, and files. The work environment will be adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated in an office setting.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

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:

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.

Help

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.

Review our benefits

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.