Positions Available at SSA

• Claims Specialist
• Customer Service Representative
• Benefits Authorizer
• Legal Positions

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Claims Specialist

Employees in this position assist individuals in establishing entitlement to benefits under Social Security Programs. You will have contact with the public either by face-to-face interviews or by telephone. These contacts will allow you to obtain, clarify, and verify information that will be used to analyze claims and make decisions regarding entitlement to benefits. Some Claims Specialists make decisions regarding entitlement to benefits.  They work in the Atlanta Program Service Center (PSC) in Birmingham, Alabama where the most challenging cases are processed. Depending upon your qualifications, you may enter these positions at either a GS-5 or GS-7 grade level. If you perform satisfactorily, you will be promoted to subsequent grade levels until you reach the highest grade in this position, GS-11. Career advancement from this position is usually to technical or management positions.

Many Claims Specialists deal with the public where bilingual ability is highly desirable. In addition, the ability to communicate with hearing-impaired individuals using signed English or American Sign Language is desirable for some positions.

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Customer Service Representative

This position involves assisting the public. Employees in this position answer a wide variety of questions from the public by interviewing the individual, investigating the situation and resolving the problem. Customer Service Representatives are located in Social Security field offices and have direct contact with the public.  Some are located in a number of Teleservice centers across the country and deal with the public only by telephone. They answer questions about eligibility for benefits and SSA's programs.

Bilingual ability is highly desirable for Customer Service Representatives. In addition, the ability to communicate with hearing-impaired individuals using signed English or American Sign Language is desirable for some positions.

Entry into these positions is at the GS-4 or GS-5 level with progression, based on satisfactory performance, to the GS-8 level. Career advancement from these positions can be to higher-graded claims specialist positions or to other positions in the Teleservice center.

Teleservice Center locations in the Atlanta Region are Birmingham, Alabama; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and Tampa, Florida.

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Benefit Authorizer

Benefit Authorizers are responsible for updating beneficiary records, making sure that payment is made to the beneficiary and preparing correspondence to beneficiaries regarding their benefits. These positions require contact with the public by telephone. You will work in a Program Service Center (PSC). The Atlanta Region PSC is located in Birmingham, Alabama.

Entry into this position is at the GS-4 or GS-5 level. Benefit Authorizers can advance to the GS-9 level. Further career development is to technical assistant or specialist positions or the claims authorizer position.

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Legal Positions

STAFF ATTORNEY, OFFICE OF DISABILITY ADJUDICATION AND REVIEW

Applicants who disagree with the Agency’s decision or denied benefits may appeal through the Office of Hearings and Appeals. Staff attorneys, working in hearing offices throughout the country provide professional legal assistance to Administrative Law Judges. Most of the staff attorney's time is spent writing decisions on disability cases.

In these challenging positions, staff attorneys assist in pre-hearing legal preparation, research, decision preparation and other post-hearing actions. This position starts at the GS-9 entry level. Staff attorneys can advance to the GS-12 level.

ASSISTANT REGIONAL COUNSEL, OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) promotes, advocates and protects all legal interests of the Social Security Administration. The Assistant Regional Counsel in the Atlanta regional office provides a full range of legal services to management in the region. The work is broad, varied and challenging. Assistant Regional Counsel defends Social Security program-related cases in federal district courts and the courts of appeals. They also handle complex administrative litigation in EEOC, MSPB and arbitration cases, provide legal advice on disclosure and Privacy Act issues, and write legal opinions on program matters. Assistant Regional Counsel works closely with the U.S. Attorneys' offices to provide litigation support. The entry level for this position is GS-11 with opportunities for advancement to the GS-14 level. Applicants must be licensed members of a state bar. Application packages should be mailed to the Regional Chief Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W. Suite 20T45, Atlanta, GA 30303. Complete applications must include a resume, a law school transcript, and a legal writing sample.