To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/28/2026. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria: Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Expert-level knowledge and skill to advise management on employee relations concepts, principles, practices, and case law; Conduct analyses on a variety of complex issues utilizing research, interviews, and observations; Determines appropriate corrective actions; Provide training and communication to management on agency-wide labor relations and employee relations policies and procedures; Independently represent management in third-party proceedings/arbitration; Knowledge of performance management concepts, principles and practices related to planning, monitoring, rating and rewarding employee performance. ~OR~ Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Expert-level knowledge, skill in applying and analytical skill to advise management and employees on employee relations concepts, principles, practices, and case law (e.g., related to policy development, prohibited HR practices, and third-party powers and procedures); Skill in researching case law, research complex facts in order to draw conclusions and solutions to complex legal issues, problems and situations; Skill in applying the full range of labor relations theories, principles, methods and techniques to conduct studies for management and respond to union interests at the bargaining table; Provide training and communication to management on agency-wide labor relations and employee relations policies and procedures; Independently represent management in third-party proceedings; Knowledge of how other government agencies' rules and regulations impact the Department of Veterans Affairs; Skilled in fact-finding and investigation boards, interviewing, and case management techniques to advise on and/or conduct investigations; Advise and provide technically accurate interpretations of local negotiated agreements and provisions to reconcile conflicting technical viewpoints; Serve as principal point of contact on labor management matters of overall concern to established bargaining units at the local level. .