Navigating Your Career as an Instructional Systems Specialist at the Defense Health Agency

Are you an experienced instructional designer with a passion for building high-impact educational frameworks? The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is actively hiring an Instructional Systems Specialist (GS-1750-12) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. This position represents a vital opportunity to shape the medical curriculum used to train military personnel across all branches of the Armed Forces.

Operating within the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) Academic Support division, the selected candidate will combine educational theory, cutting-edge technology, and practical design to optimize health services education. Below is a comprehensive guide detailing the position, qualifications, application procedures, and reward structure.

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About the Agency: Defense Health Agency (DHA)

The Defense Health Agency is a joint, integrated combat support agency that enables the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and ready medical force in peacetime and wartime. Serving more than 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide—including active duty service members, retirees, and military families—the DHA drives excellence, innovation, and standardization across federal military healthcare systems.

Within the DHA, the METC Academic Support division serves as the operational hub for allied health education. Located at Joint Base San Antonio (Fort Sam Houston), Texas, it stands as one of the largest consolidations of military medical training in the world.

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Key Job Responsibilities

As a GS-12 Instructional Systems Specialist, your primary mandate will be converting complex military medical requirements into effective, measurable educational programs. Key responsibilities include:

• Curriculum Analysis & Needs Assessment: Analyze training challenges and establish structural, design, and evaluation criteria for enlisted medical courses.
• Learning Objective Formulation: Convert service-specific medical training standards into concrete, measurable learning objectives, units, and unified training tracks.
• Instructional Design & Content Mapping: Design learning pathways, establish course sequencing, determine time allocations, and build student proficiency metrics.
• Material Development & Technology Integration: Write, edit, and modernize lesson plans, student guides, computer-based instruction modules, and multi-media learning products using adult learning theory.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Collaborate with military program leadership, subject-matter experts (SMEs), and accreditation organizations to ensure training meets national educational standards.
• Evaluation & Testing Validation: Conduct research into educational outcome metrics, design psychometrically sound examinations, and evaluate test data to drive continuous curriculum improvement.

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Qualification Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must fulfill both specific academic criteria and specialized professional experience.

1. Basic Education Requirement

Applicants must possess a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university that included—or was supplemented by—at least 24 semester hours of qualifying coursework. Qualifying coursework must cover at least four of the following five domains:

1. Learning Theory / Educational Psychology: Principles of learning applied to systematic instructional design.
2. Instructional Design Practices: Models, principles, and methods for improving training program effectiveness.
3. Educational Evaluation: Assessment techniques, survey design, and test reliability/validity testing.
4. Instructional Product Development: Learner analysis, objective setting, training strategy, and validation testing.
5. Computers in Education and Training: Application and selection of software technologies for learning environments.

2. Specialized Experience

In addition to the educational foundation, candidates must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service. This experience must demonstrate:

• Designing and producing complex training materials tailored to customer specifications.
• Interpreting and applying federal guidelines, agency policies, and academic regulations to course materials.
• Executing systematic revisions and updates to existing instructional content.

3. Essential Criteria

• Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen.
• Resume Limit: Resumes must be strictly two pages or less. Longer resumes will be automatically rejected.
• Probation: Position requires a one-year initial probationary period.

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Salary Overview & Position Details

The position carries a General Schedule (GS) grade level of 12 with competitive baseline compensation and locality adjustments for the San Antonio, Texas area.

Position Element	Details
Official Job Title	Instructional Systems Specialist
Pay Grade	GS-12
Salary Range	$90,832 – $118,072 per year
Duty Location	Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Work Schedule	Full-Time / Permanent
Promotion Potential	None (GS-12 is the full performance level)
Telework / Remote	Not Eligible / On-site Required

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Federal Benefits Package

Federal employment with the Defense Health Agency offers comprehensive compensation that extends far beyond base salary:

• Healthcare Coverage: Choice of multiple plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, alongside dental and vision options (FEDVIP).
• Retirement System: Dual-track coverage consisting of the FERS annuity pension and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% agency matching.
• Paid Time Off: Generous annual leave accrual (4–8 hours per pay period depending on service years), 13 days of annual sick leave, and 11 official holiday days.
• Relocation Potential: Relocation incentives may be authorized for top-ranking candidates, though standard PCS travel expenses are not covered.

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Step-by-Step Application Guide

Application submissions must be submitted digitally via the USAJobs framework prior to the closing deadline of October 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.

Step 1: Prepare Your Documentation

Ensure you have your 2-page resume ready alongside supporting documentation. Required files include:

• College Transcripts: Mandatory proof of your degree and 24 semester hours in educational fields.
• SF-50 (if applicable): Current or former federal employees must submit an SF-50 confirming time-in-grade eligibility at the GS-11 level.
• Eligibility Documents: Proof of military spousal status, VEOA eligibility, Schedule A disability documentation, or CTAP/ICTAP notices if claiming specific hiring path preferences.

Step 2: Complete USAJobs Application

Navigate to the USAJobs portal, click Apply Online, follow the prompt to upload your formatted resume, complete the customized agency questionnaire, and submit your application package.

Step 3: Complete USA Hire Assessments

Once your application is registered, you may receive an email invitation to take the mandatory online USA Hire Assessments. These online competency tests must be completed within 48 hours after the job announcement closes.

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Critical Tips for Candidates

1. Adhere Strictly to the 2-Page Limit: Do not let your resume spill onto page three. The automated intake system will automatically disqualify applicants whose resumes exceed two pages.
2. Highlight the 24 Academic Credits: Clearly list relevant coursework on your resume or attach transcripts where course titles explicitly reflect instructional design, evaluation, or learning theory.
3. Quantify Experience: Explicitly state start and end dates (Month/Year) along with average hours worked per week for every position listed.
4. Prepare for Assessments: Allocate 2 uninterrupted hours in a quiet space to complete the USA Hire online testing once invited.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I apply if I am not a current federal employee?

A: You must qualify under one of the specific hiring paths listed in the announcement, such as Veterans (VEOA), Military Spouses, Schedule A applicants, or former federal employees eligible for reinstatement.

Q: What happens if my college degree is from outside the United States?

A: Foreign educational credentials must be officially evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation service to prove equivalence to U.S. accredited university standards.

Q: Is telework permitted for this role?

A: No, this position is designated as non-teleworkable and requires on-site presence at Fort Sam Houston, TX.

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As an Instructional Systems Specialist for the Defense Health Agency, your expertise directly impacts the operational readiness and tactical medical capabilities of military healthcare personnel. By aligning rigorous educational standards with real-world medical requirements, you will ensure our armed forces receive modern, effective, and validated training. Ensure your transcripts are in order and your 2-page resume is refined before submitting your application for this rewarding GS-12 career path.