Purchasing Agent

This position functions as a Purchasing Agent for Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line at the St. Louis VA Medical Center. The primary purpose of this position is to perform direct medical supply Purchasing support for administrative and clinical services to initiate the obligation for all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services, to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/09/2026.

GS-5 Applicants- Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• GS-05 Purchasing Agent Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-04) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working independently to complete purchase orders and reconcile charges, Conduct face-to-face and telephone conversations with patients, family members, and private medical staff, contractors, vendors, and co-workers, Researches the use of different solicitation methods, ordering or reporting procedures, and purchasing methods to distinguish between different purchasing strategies. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four academic years above High School, leading to a Bachelor's Degree. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond four years of education above High School, leading to a Bachelor's Degree.

• GS-06 Purchasing Agent Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-06) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working independently to complete purchase orders and reconcile charges. Quickly deduce from written prescriptions or oral requests what items or services are needed, selecting the most appropriate cost-effective source to deliver the items/service in the most reliable manner. Maintains an inventory of all purchased and consignment equipment with expiration date, imitate exchange and/or replacement of expired stock. Providing patient care and support services to an adult population and serves as the point of contact for external customer service inventory needs and support.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at .There is no educational substitution at the GS-06 level.

GS-05 Purchasing Agent : Education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: .