Health Science Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/29/2026.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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09.

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: Individual Occupational Requirement: In order to meet the basic requirement of the Health System Administration, 0671 Occupational series, you must possess an undergraduate or graduate level degree with a Major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration -OR- you must possess progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field.

This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities.

Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and Government-wide, agency; and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

Requirements for GS-9: Specialized Experience for the GS-9 - In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement above you must also have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Maintaining complex existing databases and data spreadsheet files. Assisting project investigators with ongoing research projects.

Training and guiding new research project staff on policies and procedures. Managing the screening and evaluation of candidates for clinical studies. Administering and managing the implementation of clinical tests.

01Education

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-9 level. Must possess a Master's or equivalent degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related to the duties of the position. (Transcript must be submitted) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-9. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e.

50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. Requirements for GS-11: Specialized Experience for the GS-11 - In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement above you must also have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Administering and evaluating healthcare research programs, projects, and operational activities. Developing, implementing, and monitoring program policies, procedures, and performance measures. Ensuring compliance with VA federal, and research-related regulations, policies, and accreditation measures. Analyzing program data, quality measures, and operational performance to identify issues and recommend improvements.

Providing administrative oversight of resources, personnel, budgets, contracts, and/or program operations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 level.

Must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., with courses related to the duties of this position. (Transcript must be submitted) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned).

Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-9. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties: Serves in an advisory capacity to the R&D Leadership, research investigators, research committee members, and research committee Chairs. Serves as the accreditation Facility Liaison. Oversees the protocol review process of multiple programs and committees.

Develops and maintains a pre-review program that will coincide with the IRB, IACUC, SRS, IBC, CIRB, and/or R&D Committee review of all research involving human subjects, animal subjects, basic laboratory science and the human research protection program. Develops and manages required annual and semi-annual reviews. Ensures that human subject research is reviewed, approved, and conducted in accordance with appropriate Federal, State and VA regulations and guidelines.

Responsible for maintaining quality and compliance. Develops programs, policies, and procedures within the Research Office. Researches and/or analyzes problems, administrative issues, or program requirements as they relate to animal, human subject or safety research and the research review process. Designs and studies training programs and organizational strategies.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Science Specialist/PD99493S and PD99586S elocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized