Decision Review Officer (Rating Quality Review Specialist)

Veterans Benefits Administration • Oakland, CA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Decision Review Officer (Rating Quality Review Specialist) is an integral part of the Veterans Service Center’s quality assurance program and serves as a key technical adviser to Decision Review Officers (DROs) and Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSRs) in the Regional Office. The role measures individual performance quality and identifies training needs by reviewing and assessing completed claims involving appeals and rating decisions.

The position is full-performance level, GS-13. The work is mostly sedentary and involves primarily mental rather than physical exertion, with occasional walking, standing, and handling light materials such as papers, books, claims folders, and files. Carts are used to move larger numbers of claims folders.

The position is full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible schedules are available. It is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only, subject to case-by-case supervisory approval; the selectee must report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual.

Applicants must meet the GS-13 specialized-experience requirements by the announcement’s closing date of November 2, 2026. Specialized experience involves training, analyst, or information-systems duties in a claims management process. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. A current Federal GS employee must also meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-12. The selectee must serve a one-year probationary period and meet the stated citizenship, Selective Service, and background/security requirements.

Requirements

• Specialized experience at the GS-13 level involving training, analyst, or information-systems duties in a claims management process.
• Qualifying experience may include reviewing the quality of completed rated cases; evaluating claims-development programs or operations quantitatively or qualitatively; preparing or conducting training; identifying knowledge or skill gaps and planning training strategies; accurately and timely providing or implementing data for information-management systems; or providing technical guidance to staff on claims-management systems.
• Current Federal GS employees must have 52 weeks of service at the GS-12 level by the announcement closing date; an SF-50 demonstrating time-in-grade eligibility is required.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must meet applicable probationary or trial-period requirements and pass a background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment I-9 requirements.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
• Part-time experience is credited on a prorated basis, and applicants must specify average hours worked per week for part-time employment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct scheduled individual quality reviews of DROs’ and RVSRs’ completed work to determine rating quality for individual performance standards.
• Conduct focused in-process reviews to assess the accuracy of claims actions for station-level feedback and improvement.
• Share rating-quality trend information with management on an ongoing basis and with DROs and RVSRs during training sessions.
• Review products or activities for quality of performance and record results in online STAR checklists.
• Evaluate claims for deficiencies across evidence development, income, dependency issues, award processing, and authorization.
• Explain errors and provide comments where attention is warranted.
• Prepare STAR data reports for authorized Regional Office personnel who request and receive them.
• Develop quality-assurance processes focused on work procedures and techniques that address unique work conditions and practices.
• Ensure program requirements imposed by Compensation Service, Pension and Fiduciary Service, and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims are met or implemented.
• Prepare documentation supporting unfavorable findings, justifying error decisions, and indicating required actions.
• Conduct statistical analysis of quality reviews to identify trends, significant problem areas, and processes requiring improvement.
• Relay quality-trend information to management for use in operations, decision-making, and planning.

Benefits

• The employer describes a comprehensive federal employee benefits package for employees and their families; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed