Program Support Assistant (OA)

Summary

The primary purpose of the Program Support Assistant position is to provide clerical and program support to the Anesthesiology service focusing on timecards, mail, filing, typing, and answering phone calls or walk-ins.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

Major duties:

• The timekeeper for the service is responsible for updating approximately 53 timecards daily. This includes entering leave when the employee is unable, adjusting tour of duties when a sudden change is required due to unexpected absence. All must be done with 100% to ensure employees are paid correctly.
• Receive and sort mail for entire service. Prepare documents and packages for outbound mail, FedEx, and UPS. Receive all FedEx and UPS packages for the service, maintain a tracking log of all incoming and outgoing FedEx and UPS packages. Anesthesiology researchers have special requirements that need to be strictly adhered to in order to maintain research protocols.
• Due to the nature of the research being completed in Anesthesiology it is imperative that the files be labeled according to research protocols, all electronic documents are printed and securely placed in file folders. Due to the quantity of research keeping the research projects separated, and complete at all times in preparation for surprise auditors is essential.
• Typing meeting agendas, minutes, and attendance for a multitude of meetings. Working with staff to develop PowerPoint presentations from detailed notes and reports. Require significant knowledge of office automation systems and a fully qualified typist to perform word processing duties.
• Receives all visitors in person on the phone in a courteous manner. Take detailed messages for staff. Keep service directory up to date. Point of contact for internal customers i.e., Pain Clinic MSA, Chief of Staff support staff, PACU support staff.

Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30 pm or as determined by supervisor.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/ PD02170-O

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

Help

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 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, 08/12/2026.

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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Completing a variety of assignments involving different and related steps, processes or methods; significant knowledge/experience with office automation systems and be a fully qualified typist to perform word processing duties.

OR

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application and show the conferred or awarded date. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.

OR

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application.

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

Education

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:

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.

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.