This position is in the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) of the Hines VA Medical Center located in Hines, IL. This Health Science Officer will serve as the senior scientist in the design, analyses, and administration of CSP studies; assist in analyzing the needs, strategic plans, and goals of the CSP in the context of VA, VHA, and ORD goals and initiatives; will make recommendations for new directions, initiatives, policies, and procedures; participate in senior management and policy decisions regarding strategic planning, priority-setting, scientific direction, and operations.
The Director, CSP Center is responsible to the Director, CSR&D in VA Central Office, for the design, conduct, and management of studies assigned to the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP). The Director ensures that the highest levels of scientific standards and established clinical research policies and practices are applied to assigned studies;
The employee serves as a senior scientist in the design, analyses and administration of CSP studies. Further, the incumbent assists in analyzing the needs, strategic plans, and goals of the CSP in the context of VA, VHA, and ORD goals and initiatives, and makes recommendations for new directions, initiatives, policies and procedures;

• Supervises a staff of biostatisticians, epidemiologists, scientists, project managers, quality managers, and administrative support staff through subordinate supervisors and manages clinical trial projects conducted by physicians and PhD scientists in a variety of medical and health disciplines;
• Provides methodological and statistical leadership in the design, conduct, and management of multi-site clinical trials and/or epidemiological studies. Oversees the analytical plan and processes during the course of a study. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, interim analyses for oversight committees and the trial sponsor(s) and final analyses for publication;
• Serves as a principal program liaison to study/field investigators for providing guidance and oversight of studies and ensuring that all applicable policies are followed;
• Identifies the need for and develops plans for necessary organizational changes to maximize efficiency of CSP studies and the Center. Identifies, justifies, and implements actions to improve operational efficiency, such as identifying needed equipment, personnel, or changes in procedures.
• Ensures that study analyses meet objectives and that management standards are met;
• establishes performance standards and evaluates the performance of subordinate supervisors, makes determinations on grievances, recommends training, and approves leave of subordinate supervisors;
• Approves within-grade increases, overtime, and staff travel and recommends awards or bonuses for non-supervisory personnel and changes in position classification;
• Hears grievances as a second level supervisor, reviews recommendations for hiring, promotion, and adverse actions made by subordinate supervisors, and supports and implements established Equal Employment Opportunity policies and programs; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be required to serve a probationary period.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: No special physical requirements.

Qualifications

TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: A Bachelor's degree (or higher) with major study in an academic field related to the health or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. Transcript is required.
AND
EXPERIENCE: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this Health Science Officer position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: experience designing and directing clinical research; establishing performance standards; recommending training and making determinations on grievances; and developing and delivering presentations and providing program management and guidance. Your resume must detail your experience.
AND
THIS POSITION INCLUDES SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Experience with clinical trials design including protocol development. And experience with clinical trials management at the Principal Investigator-level. And experience with clinical trial data management and analysis;

• Valid state-issued driver's license.

• Administration and Management
• Communications
• Leadership
• Performance Management
• Planning and Evaluating
• Research

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.