Summary The position is located at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in the Office of the Associate Chief of Staff for Research, who is responsible for managing and directing the research business operations in the VAMC in accordance with VHA Directive 1200.02(1). In addition to working with the Office of the Associate Chief of Staff for Research, the specialist will work closely with the Technology Transfer Program (TTP), Office of Research and Development. Responsibilities This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). 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. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Technology Transfer Specialist/PD104690 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The Technology Transfer Specialist will initially serve in a developmental assignment to allow the individual to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the full range of duties described in the target position description. Major duties include but are not limited to: Develops, proposes, and implements innovative business and commercial development strategies for licensing and partnerships of technology and inventions made by VA employees. Coaches and guides VA employees to identify potentially patentable inventions. Develops and implements business strategies for the licensing of patents, including identifying prospective licensees, the valuation of patents, the development of business terms, and the negotiation of patent licenses. Provides advice, guidance, and assistance to ORD on such things as the development and management of intellectual property; registration and management of patents, terms and negotiation of licensing and collaborative agreements, management and administration of royalties; transfer of research materials and other related matters. Serves as the focal point within ORD for the implementation of pertinent legislation, rules, and regulations, and the administration of activities relating to collaborative agreements, inventions, patents, royalties, and associated matters. Proposes and assists in the development of Technology Transfer Program (TTP) policy and prepares and disseminates operating procedures and guidelines for VHA staff on matters related to the areas of responsibility assigned to TTP; Reviews and analyzes collaborative agreements to ensure that they are following applicable ORD, VHA, and VA policy and procedures, and federal laws. Prepares or coordinates the preparation of regular and special reports on matters falling within the purview of TTP, including an annual report to Congress. Serves as liaison with individuals, committees, and organizations within and outside federal government interested or involved in matters relating to TTP. In addition to the Ralph H. Johnson Health Care System, Charleston, SC, the incumbent will be responsible for providing technology transfer support for the Columbia VA Health Care System, South Carolina. 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 involves mostly office posture, entailing long periods of sitting in one position, intense concentration, and job-related pressure to meet critical legal deadlines. The position's work, while primarily sedentary, requires some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of items such as papers, books, and files, but normally places few physical demands on the incumbent. The position also includes the occasionally physical ability to meet with scientists and other staff, including travel to and from VA medical center and prospective licensees. 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 or 2-year trial 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/28/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Serving as negotiator on matters relating to licensing VA patents; negotiate business terms, including financial terms (royalties), and discusses the license agreement's language with an interested party, and work closely with VA OGC to execute agreements; Developing and implementing business strategies for the licensing of patents, including identifying prospective licensees, the valuation of patents, the development of business terms, and the negotiation of patent licenses; and Proposing and assisting in the development of TTP policy and prepares and disseminates operating procedures and guidelines for VHA staff on matters related to the areas of responsibility assigned to TTP. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.
