Actuary (Benefits)

Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management • Washington, DC

4d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Office of Actuarial Services (OAS), Office of Management, and is directed by the Executive Director of Actuarial Services, VA’s Chief Actuary. OAS develops, monitors, and updates actuarial models to support transparency and accountability for actuarial benefit liabilities reported in VA’s audited financial statements. The role involves actuarial valuations, analysis, review, reporting, and presentations. The position is not virtual; ad-hoc telework may be available under agency policy. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Relocation or recruitment incentives are authorized for highly qualified candidates. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met; selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must obtain an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) or Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) credential, evidenced by an official transcript and certificate or listing in The Actuarial Directory.
• Must have relevant retirement, disability, or annuity benefits actuarial experience: at least five years for GS-13 or eight years for GS-14.
• For GS-13, must have one year of actuarial experience equivalent to GS-12, along with the specified actuarial coursework or qualifying alternative credentials and experience.
• For GS-14, must have one year of actuarial experience equivalent to GS-13, along with the specified actuarial coursework.
• Required coursework includes at least 24 semester hours in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science, including at least 12 semester hours of mathematics covering differential and integral calculus and subsequent mathematics coursework for which calculus was a prerequisite.
• GS-13 specialized experience includes applying actuarial methods to annual valuations, assumption studies, actual-to-expected analyses, or liability calculations; collaborating with actuaries and subject matter experts; using analytical software to extract, validate, and analyze data; and updating or assisting with actuarial reports, documentation, and presentations.
• GS-14 specialized experience includes extensive independent development, maintenance, and enhancement of actuarial valuation models, analyses, and code; technical review of actuarial work; and preparation and presentation of complex analyses, financial impacts, and recommendations.
• Must complete all required application steps, including an online assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• May be required to serve a probationary period; a one-year probationary period is specified as a condition of employment.
• Subject to a background/security investigation and required to complete online onboarding and acceptable identification requirements.
• Must meet all qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.

Responsibilities

• Update actuarial valuations using new data and assumptions.
• Analyze large amounts of data and perform experience analyses to recommend assumption and model changes.
• Provide technical review of other actuaries’ work, which may include running an alternative model.
• Prepare or update annual valuation reports and experience studies.
• Deliver presentations to management and auditors.
• For GS-14-level work, independently develop, maintain, and enhance actuarial valuation models, analyses, and code used to produce actuarial benefit liabilities.
• For GS-14-level work, technically review actuarial models, analyses, and code for compliance with actuarial standards, federal financial requirements, and documentation controls.
• Prepare complex actuarial analyses and present financial impacts and recommendations to management, auditors, and other stakeholders.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package.
• VA may offer newly appointed federal employees credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual; this must be requested and approved before appointment and is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior