Summary This position is one of Research Health Science Specialist within Research Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New Orleans. The incumbent of this position is responsible for assisting senior members of the research team with data management, survey methodology, and policy development. 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 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. Duties include the following: Develops and implements coding and analysis of literature using qualitative data analysis software. Screens and assesses documents for inclusion in environmental scan combining several search terms, parameters, and factors. Identifies results and trends requiring further analysis. Prepares draft reports of findings. Coordinates and oversees the obtaining of informed consent, ensuring that subject's rights are protected. Oversees the development and maintenance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual for administration and implementation of the research project, including writing several sections of this manual. Gather narrative data on project status, including resource utilization, statistical data on participation, adherence to protocols on matters such as participant education, control of data, and other similar matters. Coordinate the accomplishment of the scientific (merit) review and evaluation of research programs to provide recommendations or decisions for program strategies, modifications, budgeting, or improvements. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 identification 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 BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree with the major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this Health Science Specialist position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED AND MUST SHOW DATE DEGREE CONFERRED) In addition to the basic education requirement, you must meet the following grade requirements: For GS-9 -SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience include: Develops recruitment materials and outreach strategies to support participant enrollment for research studies. Administers research protocols to participants, including conducting informed-consent procedures and ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines. Enters, cleans, and manages research data using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) to ensure accuracy and data integrity. Coordinates participant payments and maintains accurate tracking of grant funds and study-related expenditures. Prepares detailed reports-including enrollment summaries, data progress updates, and compliance documentation-for submission to granting agencies. OR EDUCATION: A master's or equivalent graduate degree OR at least two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: An equivalent combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above to meet the total requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (GS-7) may be combined with experience to qualify for the GS-9 level. For example, 6 months of appropriate experience equivalent to GS-7 (50 percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 27 semester hours of appropriate graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement for GS-9, in excess of that required for GS-7) would be qualifying for the GS-9 level (assuming that there is no evidence that the attended college or university requires more than 18 semester hours as equivalent to a year of graduate study). NOTE: If using experience to qualify, it must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week to be creditable. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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/.
