You can do that at VA? Five unique jobs with Veterans’ preference

If you’re looking for a job like the one you had in the military, chances are you’ll find it at VA—and your Veterans’ preference will apply! VA offers numerous unique opportunities that may not spring to mind when you think of a large health care system.

While we know that you don’t have to be a Veteran to work at VA, like many other federal agencies, we offer Veterans’ preference, which can give you a leg up in the hiring process in thanks for your service to the country. It’s a boost that can make a difference in your application, including in these unique nonclinical jobs.

Firefighter

Did you know VA has its own fire departments—complete with fire engines and ambulances? As a firefighter, you’ll be responding to emergencies—laying and connecting hoses, directing fire streams, operating firefighting equipment, ventilating burning buildings, or even performing evacuations and rescues.

When not engaged as a first responder, you might also perform safety inspections of the facility or conduct training for your fellow VA employees so they, too, can be prepared in the event of an emergency.

Locksmith

VA facilities are very secure, and that means having people on the staff who understand security. As a locksmith at VA, you’ll have a hand in designing and installing locks of all shapes and sizes.

From doors to desks, from safes to vaults, from mobile equipment to secured areas, there are locks everywhere that need assessment, maintenance and even replacement, and your mechanical aptitude will be the solution.

Industrial hygienist

Focused on keeping workplaces and workers safe, industrial hygienists evaluate and control hazards to help ensure people don’t get sick or injured. Their work at VA safeguards our team and our Veterans whether it’s in the lab or on the wards.

With a knowledge of everything from the flammability of materials to preventing carbon monoxide toxicity, industrial hygienists are essential to the well-being of everyone who sets foot in our facilities.

Motor vehicle operator

Maybe being behind the wheel and on the road is your idea of a great day. When you’re a motor vehicle operator, it’s your job to drive. Patients, employees, cargo, mail—if transportation from one place to another is needed, you’re the person to do it.

It’s not like the job wouldn’t be without some variety, either. We employ numerous vehicles in our VA fleets, so you might find yourself driving anything from cars to vans to trucks of all shapes and sizes.

Contract specialist

For those with a passion for paperwork and a love of logistics, a contract specialist position offers you the chance to work behind the scenes—processing orders, requisitions, bids and purchases for any number of our locations.

These positions can be hybrid or even remote positions that work from home, but wherever you work, your expertise helps keep things running smoothly throughout our medical centers, outpatient clinics and even long-term care facilities.

Making Veterans’ preference work for you

The jobs above, and hundreds of others, provide applicants with the opportunity to support their application with Veterans’ preference. However, not every federal position is open to Veterans, so how can you be sure if the job you’re looking for qualifies?

When you begin your search at VAcareers.va.gov, you can narrow down the responses by choosing the correct hiring path, in this case “Veterans.” That will make sure every response you see is open to Veterans.

Then, when you get to USAJobs.gov, look for an icon that looks like a white shield or a badge on a green circle. That’s your signal that your Veterans’ preference can be applied.

Work at VA

Bring your military expertise—and your Veterans’ preference—to a career serving your fellow Veterans at VA.

• LEARN what VA has to offer Veteran applicants.
• EXPLORE our step-by-step guide to the application process.
• READ more about how your Veterans’ preference assists your application.
• SEARCH for a VA career at VAcareers.va.gov.