Program Analyst

Summary This position is located in the Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA) Office of Performance Analysis and Integrity (PA&I). The Advanced Analytics Staff's mission is to provide analytical services, statistical analysis, and data products that support VBA's delivery of high-quality, timely benefits and services. The program analyst will specialize in statistical analysis for workload forecasting or evidence-based evaluation and perform data extractions to develop analytical datasets. Responsibilities Specific duties include: GS-11 Assist in conducting statistical analysis for evidence-based evaluation or workload forecasting to support key Agency decisions involving benefits, services, or operations Assist in advanced analytical and statistical activities, including but not limited to regression analysis, hypothesis testing, data mining, and forecasting Perform data extractions, using computer programming without preset specifications, to develop analytical datasets Participate in consultations with customers to identify and specify requirements Assist in providing actionable data insights to stakeholders through dashboards and data visualizations GS-12 Conduct statistical analysis for evidence-based evaluation or workload forecasting to support key Agency decisions involving benefits, services, or operations Perform advanced analytical and statistical activities, including but not limited to regression analysis, hypothesis testing, data mining, and forecasting Perform data extractions, using computer programming without preset specifications, to develop analytical datasets Participate in consultations with customers to identify and specify requirements Provide analytical, statistical, and root-cause analyses of VBA performance and provide recommendations regarding these analyses to PA&I and VBA senior leadership Provide actionable data insights to stakeholders through dashboards and data visualizations GS-13 Lead and conduct statistical analysis for evidence-based evaluation or workload forecasting to support key Agency decisions involving benefits, services, or operations Perform advanced analytical and statistical activities, including but not limited to regression analysis, hypothesis testing, data mining, and forecasting Perform data extractions, using computer programming without preset specifications, to develop analytical datasets Participate in consultations with customers to identify and specify requirements Provide analytical, statistical, and root-cause analyses of VBA performance and provide recommendations regarding these analyses to PA&I and VBA senior leadership Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-11, GS-12, GS-13. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Compressed/Flexible: Available. Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst; GS-0343-11 PD# 39746-A, GS-0343-12 PD# 39745-A, GS-0343-13 PD# 37394-A. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/21/2026. 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 (unless if in the commuting area and eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority such as Schedule A, VRA, or 30% or more disabled Veterans). For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9 level. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 level. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-11 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-13. 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. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: At least one year of professional experience using Python or SAS to conduct statistical analyses or build statistical models with administrative data. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience for the GS-0343-11 grade level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have the following: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR, GS-11 ONLY -Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 18 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position GS-12 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: At least one year of professional experience building analytical datasets using the Python, SAS, or SQL computer programming language, and At least one year of professional experience using Python or SAS to conduct statistical analyses or build statistical models with administrative data. GS-13 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: At least one year of professional experience building analytical datasets using the Python, SAS, or SQL computer programming language, and At least one year of professional experience using Python or SAS to conduct statistical analyses or build statistical models with federal administrative data. Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. Volunteer Experience: 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. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary. 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. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit. Additional Information 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Click here for more information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. 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. (