About this role
Job SummaryThe Training Specialist is responsible for a variety of continuing educational activities. Directly responsible for the development and implementation of continuing education activities, resources, and services, and for coordinating these to ensure all aspects are in compliance with established Medical Center goals and guidelines.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/31/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal GS employee, you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. 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. Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include which show TIG requirements have been met include: Within grade increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date that occurred more than one year from the closing date of the job opportunity announcement; or Most recent appointment. NOTE: Do not submit Award or General Adjustment SF-50s, as they do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying TIG. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of Specialized Experience which is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09 level) in the normal line of progression for the position. Specialized Experience is defined as experience below. Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others. Administering a training program. OR Education Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 level. 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. Such education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work. OR Combination of Specialized Experience and Education Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level: Equivalent combinations of specialized experience and PH.D. graduate education. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond two years by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. 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; religious; 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: The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required to perform the duties of the position. The incumbent may sit to do much of the work. The nature of the work will place the incumbent often in a stressful situation, and the incumbent must possess the maturity and judgment to complete the work assignments. Some standing and walking is necessary. 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/.
Major DutiesParticipates in all phases of short- and long-range training program development planning, implementation, and evaluation in conjunction with other facility education staff. Serves as the point of contact for routine training and development matters. Develops and/or modifies procedures, courses, training guides and plans, and seeks alternative training sources for an organization having a fairly well-defined and readily understood mission. Develops innovative program activities to address special educational needs that have not been satisfied by traditional educational methods. These innovative program designs apply to a broad range of training areas. Reviews available resources and educational materials for appropriateness and selects or modifies these materials to address existing educational problems and needs. Develops new training materials and activities where none exist. Prepares internal office instructions governing local training development programs. Works with all facility staff to identify and develop continuing education programs for facility quality improvement. Conducts formal and/or informal in-service and continuing education programs based on identified needs. Provides training to Health Care facility staff, utilizing adult learning principles and appropriate teaching aids when applicable. Reviews, analyses, and evaluates training courses and programs to assess their quality and effectiveness. Follows up on training to determine successful completion of courses. Ensures that assigned training/development meets requirements outlined in agency self-assessment guidance. Works with Section Chief and employee development staff to analyze and evaluate training programs, identifying problems and deficiencies and developing workable solutions. Implements improvement plans to meet established goals and objectives. Independently develops specific training needs surveys to focus on special areas for problem identification, and analyzes the data to identify appropriate interventions. These surveys are used to appraise operations and program results in training and development, and to enhance long-term outcomes. Monitors current educational activities to ensure compliance with the strategic plan and to identify activities for revision when evaluations indicate true needs are not being met. Conducts "train-the-trainer" workshops, participates in new employee orientation, and conducts training for staff that will use the Talent Management System (TMS) education tracking system in their services. Performs duties as the TMS Domain Manager. Independently identifies and contracts appropriate resources and faculty. Projects appropriate budgetary requirements and maintains schedules consistent with accomplishment of organizational missions. Provides leadership and services as educational advisor and consultant for all levels of the organization. Performs duties as the Education Service Contracting Officer Representative. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: May be Authorized Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Training Specialist Education/PD803830 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou 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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.