Social Insurance Specialist (Disability Processing Specialist) Direct Hire

Summary

Positions under this announcement are being filled using a Direct Hire Authority (DHA), 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.

This position is not a hybrid telework position. This position is in office five days per week.

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. Serves as an authoritative specialist and expert in the adjudication of disability cases under Title II and Title XVI programs.

Makes determinations on disability claims – including initial claims, reconsiderations, and medical continuing disability reviews (CDRs) – in accordance with SSA program rules. Provides appropriate support and compelling rationale for conclusions, including preparing assessments of physical and psychological residual functional capacity and medical improvement in CDRs. Obtains and analyzes medical and other evidence in case records, collaborates with medical consultants, and reviews information from beneficiaries, claimants, third parties, and authorized representatives.

Effectively organizes and prioritizes multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment, ensuring timely and accurate completion despite shifting deadlines. Prepares correspondence, including notices of determinations affecting claimants’ rights and benefits, and provides responses to inquiries regarding claims information or rationale for determinations.

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. If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:
To qualify for this GS 12 Disability Processing Specialist position, you must demonstrate the following: at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-11 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Such experience should primarily include:
1) making medical determinations of disability at the initial, reconsideration, and/or continuing disability review level; and
2) reviewing, developing, examining, investigating, and/or adjudicating and authorizing complex claims for medical disability programs. Reviewers cannot assume you perform duties you don't describe.

For GS-12:
Substitution is not applicable for the grade level.

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement. This is a bargaining unit position represented by the American Federation of Government Employees. This position is not authorized to be filled virtually or through outstationing. One or more vacancies may be filled at any of the listed Official Duty Stations (ODS). Relocation expenses will not be paid;

salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. This position is on a full-time, flex-time schedule;
Alternate Work Schedules (AWS) may be authorized. This position is not a hybrid telework position. This position is in office five days per week. In alignment with the Presidential Memorandum
- Return to In-Person Work
- The White House, the Social Security Administration currently has a policy of no scheduled telework. However, episodic telework may be permitted on an occasional, irregular basis for special situations, subject to supervisory approval. 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,…