Summary The Health Science Specialist (HSS) will oversee operations and day-to-day activities and project management for the VETWISE-LHS Center of Innovation at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS), in the Research and Development(R&D) Department in Nashville, TN. The Health Science Specialist (HSS) will serve as a research program manager and provide the link between veterans and highly innovative projects. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 6/28/2027). Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration (more than 1 year but not more than 4). Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition (up to the 4 year maximum). The appointment to a Term position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment. Duties will include but may not be limited to the following: Develops, implements, and maintains an effective means of oversight and management of investigators research programs including the development, and expansion of projects. Interprets administrative policies, develops local policies and defines administrative requirements. Monitors training completion and accomplishments of all Center of Innovation (COIN) investigators. Oversees the submission of just-in-time documentation for grant applications. Provides meeting management (setting up meeting, preparing agendas/minutes). Develops both long and short-range policies and plans for the program. Reviews each study protocol and working with the Research team to evaluate feasibility of study at the local site. Serves on various strategic planning committees and management on-site meetings with other program officials. Develops and advise on administrative requirements for a large, complex organization. Works with study teams to maximize recruitment efforts and resolve recruitment issues, Manages all other study-related issues (i.e. transportation costs, budgetary, data collection, regulatory, internal support, etc.) Research, compiles and prepares reports, correspondence, or other information required by administrative team. Plans, develops, formulates, prepares, executes, monitors, and forecasts organizational budgets in conjunction with the budget analyst for Research Services. Maintains, tracks and modifies existing budgets for projects, in line with grant awards and expectations. Provides advice pertaining to the procedures, regulations and policies dealing with employee recruitment, training and other personnel management functions. Tracks current and projected personnel actions. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the following requirements: BASIC REQUIREMENT: Bachelor's degree (or higher-level degree) from an accredited college or university in a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of a Health Science Specialist. 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. (Copies of transcripts are required at the time of application) In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, you must meet the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health Science Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes: managing the initiation process for all new Research Studies by providing overall administrative management; interpreting administrative policies, developing local policies and defining administrative requirements; researching, compiling and preparing reports, correspondence, or other information; overseeing the submission of just-in-time documentation for grant applications; overseeing the recruitment and enrollment of study subjects including paperwork for participant remuneration; planning, developing, executing, monitoring, and forecasting organizational budgets; tracking progress of studies, identifying study issues, and developing action plans for resolution of issues. Note: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary with walking, standing, and handling and carrying items such as paper and books. Manual dexterity is required for operating office equipment. Typing and computer operation may involve long periods of hand and wrist movement. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
