Program Analyst
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
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.
What you need to qualify
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 http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
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