Secretary (OA) - Dental Service

Department of Veterans Affairs › Veterans Health Administration (3476 current openings)

Who may apply

Limited to the following applicant groups:

Internal to an agency
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Dallas, Texas

Full-time Security Clearance: Other

Application Deadline:

2026-08-20

Posted:

2026-08-11

Last day to apply

Apply on usajobs.gov

Salary: $49,365 – $64,175 per year (GS-6)

Salary context

Based on 36 annual-salary jobs in the same occupational series. This role pays around the middle of similar positions.

Job Details

Position Overview

The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To serve as the principal office assistant to the Chief, Dental Service and members of Dental Service administrative team performing various administrative and clerical support duties; serve as the Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC) monitoring overall computer application operation and status, and providing local user support, training and general guidance.

AMERICA'S VETERANS NEED YOU!

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to:

Prepares a wide variety of recurring and nonrecurring correspondence, reports, and other documents from information obtained from the staff, files, and other sources. Prepares and finalizes various recurring reports, determining and modifying format, content, and frequency requirements. Independently composes and prepares nontechnical correspondence such as requests for information concerning Dental Service mission and programs; office procedures; and letters of acknowledgment, commendation, or notification. Prepares and coordinates Dental Service memoranda and policy. Attends Dental Service staff meetings and other committee/workgroup meetings as required. Prepares and distributes agenda, takes notes and prepares minutes. Prepares performance evaluations and correspondence to the union. Anticipates need for information, gathers and summarizes information from files, and systematically prepares material so that it is immediately available for supervisor's needs. Proofreads/edits correspondence and documents for correct grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and format. Coordinates/forwards correspondence to appropriate office updating the tracking system and suspense files as required. Receives, reviews, and processes mail and correspondence for the Chief and the administrative team (includes, the Assistant Chief, Dental Service, Administrative Officer, Dental Residency Coordinator). Screens incoming mail to identify what needs to be brought to the attention of the Chief or other supervisors; referred to another Dental Service employee or site of care; rerouted to other Service(s)/offices for response or handles personally.

Maintains Supervisor's calendar and schedules appointments and meetings based on knowledge of workload and issues of importance and schedules meetings and/or conferences including those involving staff from outside Dental Service. Independently notes and follows up on commitments made at meeting and conferences by staff members. Schedules appointments and meeting without prior approval based on personal knowledge of the supervisor's commitments, priorities, workload and current issues of importance and coordinates with the supervisor as necessary.

Performs other clerical and administrative work in support of Dental Service. Develops, establishes, updates, and maintains office procedures and records/files of various types to ensure effective and efficient operation of the office. Serves as liaison between the supervisor and subordinate sections. Provides advice and guidance to staff on administrative, clerical, and procedural requirements and instructions. Updates tracker or suspense files. Independently makes travel arrangements for the Chief and using CGE (Concur), making reservations, and preparing travel order and vouchers based on the known preferences of the traveler and in accordance with appropriate travel regulations.

Serves as Dental Service Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC). Provides a variety of user support assistance such as training new staff on how to use the Dental software and equipment and troubleshoots when staff experience problems using and accessing the various VA and Dental Service automated systems (CPRS) and software. Troubleshoots and resolves problems staff encounter with software applications and/or equipment. Provides equipment support for the Service including conducting and maintaining the inventory, requesting repair and maintenance, and requesting new equipment system support for Dental systems. Conducts equipment inventory using handheld bar code label scanner or equipment, ensuring programs are updated as necessary, creating menus and reports, and troubleshooting problems; and creating and maintaining the VANTHCS, Dental Service web page. Training support includes developing and monitoring the Dental Service training plan; tracking employee training; and participating in the development and delivery of in-service training.

Responsible for coordination of all processes relating to the processing of incoming residents, fellows, students, and other trainees who will be rotating through the service. Works with Education Service and HRMS to ensure all requirements including privacy and security training, verification of background checks, etc. are met prior to entry into the respective training programs. Maintains records of attendance during rotations for various types of trainees during the academic year.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA) - Dental Service/PD035500
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Available
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications & Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/20/2026.

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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Typing Proficiency: You must be able to type at least 40 words per minute. In addition to the Typing Proficiency, you must possess the Specialized Experience as described below:

Specialized Experience for GS-06: Do you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal service, that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the position being filled.

Specialized experience typically includes but are not limited to:

Coordinating day-to-day administrative, clerical, and user support duties as well as requisitions of office supplies and related materials and services.
Scheduling and managing a calendar of appointments.
Maintaining and posting time and attendance using automated and system.
Communicating effectively both orally and in writing.
Establishing suspense dates, monitors status tracking/suspense system.
Using various software to compose electronic correspondence, reports, and memoranda such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
Independently note and follow-up on commitments made at meetings and conferences.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Analysis and Problem Solving
Attention to Detail
Clerical
Communication
Administration and Management

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Preferred Experience:

One year or more experience maintaining an appointment calendar and scheduling meetings; maintaining a suspense system for correspondences.
One year or more experience reviewing incoming mail and preparing responses for signature, editing correspondence for grammar and format, transcribing letters, memos and meeting minutes from dictated material and drafts.
One year or more experience with records management; maintaining filing systems and records.
One year or more experience in arranging travel, managing time and attendance records, coordinating and arranging meetings.
One year or more experience with ordering and maintaining offices supplies and administrative equipment.
One year or more experience greeting and screening visitors, handling multi-line telephone system.
High skill in computer software (wordprocessing, spreadsheets, managing databases).

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. May require some walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs, and carrying and/or lifting of light items such as papers or books. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Requirements

You 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.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
Physical Requirements: 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.

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Resume
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

Cover Letter
DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
License
Other (1)
PCS Orders
Performance Appraisal
Professional Certification
Proof of Marriage Status
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
An SF-50 showing 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
Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13027903. The application process is as follows:

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 08/20/2026.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:

Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announcement
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder

Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required assessments and documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Source: Data sourced from USAJOBS