Summary This position is located within the Research and Development (R&D) Service, VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHCS) under the supervision of the Associate Chief of Staff for Research & Development (ACOS/R&D). Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major Duties and Responsibilities: The Director of Research Operations (DRO) is responsible for planning, developing and directing the administrative activities and implementation of policies for the Research Service to enhance the effectiveness of the overall Research Program. This includes monitoring research and laboratory space for adherence to federal, state, and local safety and security statues and regulations. Oversee the development of administrative, standard operating procedures and for the implementation of operating policy in all phases of administrative management. Assesses the impact of proposed programmatic plans on budget and operations; analyzes the changes for consistency and integration with goals and objectives; and plans or executes changes in these areas to maintain strategic goals. Manages resources, space, facilities, equipment, and employees for a range of programs within Research Service and outside to the broader Research Program. Ensures compliance in initiating and maintaining agreements and contracts with internal and external entities, including federal-wide assurance, animal welfare assurance, affiliate memoranda of understanding and federal contracts. Serves as the Director of Research Administration and is responsible for the organization and management of the Research Service Administrative Staff, including personnel management issues, time/effort allocation and issues, staff resource allocation, coordination of staff functions, and staff performance factors. Executes approved funding programs and reprograms funding within authority levels, the implementation of the overall budgetary and financial system directives and guidance. Provides technical and administrative supervision to the entire Research Administration staff through direct oversight and providing administrative supervision to the individual research laboratory technical staff through the principal investigators for those laboratories. Oversee the daily operation of the Research Service, ensuring that agency policies and priorities are being followed; developing performance standards; and evaluating work performance of the subordinates. Performs all duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F (8am - 4:30pm) Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized 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 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications Individual Occupational Requirements: Basic Education Requirements Possess at least a Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) INSTRUCTIONS: In addition to meeting the basic education requirements above, you must possess the minimum qualification below to qualify for this position. For GS-12: Possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of (GS-11) in Federal service. Specialized experience is planning, developing and directing the administrative activities and implementation of policies for the research service to enhance the effectiveness of the overall research program; overseeing the daily operation of the research service and ensuring policies and priorities are being followed. OR Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that primarily involves scientific inquiry or investigation, or research-@type exploratory development of a creative or advanced scientific nature, where the knowledge required to perform the work successfully is typically and primarily acquired through graduate study (Ph.D. or equivalent for GS-12). (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Possess an equivalent combination of experience and education as (stated above) to meet the total experience requirements at the (GS-12) grade level. NOTE: To calculate the combination of experience and education, determine the amount of experience you have as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then determine the amount of education you have as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Add the two percentages; the total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify for the grade level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Interpersonal Skills Leadership Problem Solving Project Management Strategic Thinking 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 is primarily sedentary and involves no special physical exertion. 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/. 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 Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. 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 applicant's 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.
