Health Science Specialist
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Summary This position is located within the Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (Bedford VA) in Bedford, MA. The Health Science Specialist serves as the Administrative Officer (AO) under the supervision of the Associate Director of MIRECC. The AO will be assigned duties to meet workload and compliance mandates. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties and responsibilities of this position include: Plans, develops, directs, coordinates, and implements the total and complex administrative activities of the Research and Development program with specific focus and support devoted to the MIRECC program; Acts as liaison with all other Hospital Services; Assists the Bedford Site Director of the MIRECC with matters pertaining to the implementation of research, compliance with Veteran Health Administration (VHA) and other federal regulations, and processes that further research efforts in support of Veterans Healthcare; Promotes quality awareness with staff and assures the Quality is designed into services and quality monitors and goals are developed; Assists investigators in MIRECC programs in the preparation of grant applications for funding from both VA and non-VA sources; Provides the full range of administrative support for multi-site research studies; Works with investigators, other department heads, affiliates, service organizations, and granting agencies to insure all elements of grants are completed, from grant application to final report; Meets with investigators to prepare budget requests for VA and non-VA grant applications; Facilitates communication and collaboration with off-site partners, around planning multi-site projects; Facilitates proposal writing with partners; Sets up and manages all structured multi-site conference calls and in-person meetings; Manages follow-up reports and tracking metrics across sites; Manages all aspects of the financial management of multi-site studies, including budget preparation, resource transfer and tracking, arranging for salaries, and all other purchase, and report preparation; and, Performs all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Telework: Ad-hoc, VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) – See “Additional Information” below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the following Basic Requirement for the 0601 series: Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a bachelors degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university in a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences that is appropriate to the work of this Health Science Specialist. NOTE: You must submit copies of transcripts at the time of application. Education will not be credited without documentation. Please ensure that your transcripts show that a degree was conferred. Display copies of degrees or course listings do not provide the information needed. ~AND~ In addition to meeting the Basic Education Requirement above, to qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet the following: Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Health Science Specialist , and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is experience where you were responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the administrative aspects of a research program, to include assisting in the preparation of research grant applications; preparing budget requests; handling administrative aspects of personnel management; ensuring compliance with research grant regulatory requirements; developing detailed plans, goals, and objectives for long-range implementation and administration of a research program; and communicating with individuals within and outside of the organization. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Administration and Management Communication Financial Management Grants Management Research IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work of this position is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office. May require occasional travel. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.