Health Systems Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2026. 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.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): In order to meet the basic requirement of the Health System Administration, 0671 Occupational series, you must possess either: 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 Specialized Experience: 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.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Requirements for the GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.; Provides cross-coverage support to Research Administration staff using knowledge of applicable research administrative functions and procedures; Coordinate R&D Committee and Subcommittee activities, including meeting schedules, agendas, supporting materials, minutes, and implementation of committee decisions and recommendations OR, Education: 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 18 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 27 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 the GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Develop and maintain a pre-review program for research protocols prior to submission to the applicable oversight committee; Assists with research and/or analyze problems, administrative issues, or program requirements as they relate to animal, human subject or safety research and the research review process 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 36 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-11. For example, an applicant who has 54 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 include but are not limited to: Conducts pre-review of research submissions involving human subjects, animal subjects, laboratory science, and human research protection requirements prior to review by the applicable research oversight committee. Provides cross-coverage support to Research Administration staff using knowledge of applicable research administrative functions and procedures.

Oversees the protocol review process to ensure research projects receive appropriate regulatory, information security, privacy, and committee review in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Processes VA research merit review applications in accordance with established submission requirements, procedures, and deadlines. Educates investigators, research coordinators, committee members, and other research staff on applicable research regulatory policies and procedures.

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 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Specialist/PD99493S and PD99586S