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Health Scientist

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This announcement will be used to fill positions in various geographical locations. This announcement can also be used to recruit for positions that will require a detail to an International Organization such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, etc.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/27/2021 to 03/25/2022
Salary
$110,460 to - $143,598 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Temporary promotion - 2 Years
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
HHS-CDC-MP4-21-11232248
Control number
615040200

Duties

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As an Health Scientist you will:

  • Serve as a recognized agency authority or consultant for health programs, and conducts scientific research to develop a national system (or) systems to monitor public health capacity in the country of assignment.
  • Identify and analyzes public health issues and their impact on scientific operations that are critical to the public health community.
  • Utilize expertise in the fields of epidemiology, survey research and public health surveillance, demography, statistics, and program development and evaluation.
  • Lead scientists and program consultants in various aspects of the study or survey design process, and other study support duties including analyzing and reporting of data and data dissemination to audiences.
  • Provides technical advice to global agencies and to various other health-related organizations about measuring and evaluating public health capacity and performance in country.
  • Prepares scientific articles and technical reports for publication in national and international public health journals. Makes presentations to other scientific staff, federal, health program managers; and other health officials and health-related organizations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Background Investigation may be required.
  • One-year probationary period may be required.
  • Travel, transportation, and moving expenses will be paid:
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Drug Screening Required: Positions requiring a top secret or secret clearance will be required to be drug tested.
  • Promotion potential: Please be advised there is no promotion potential. Any position filled with this announcement will be filled at the single grade level requested.
  • Mobility agreement may be required.
  • Relocation Incentive may be authorized.
  • Retention incentive may be authorized.
  • Positions will require a top secret or secret clearance depending on the position.
  • Time-in-Grade must be met within 30 days of the date the referral list is generated.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • CDC Financial Disclosure -OGE form 450 Holding ourselves to a higher standard; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspires public confidence in its trust responsibilities and mission by maintaining high ethical principles. This position may be subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This Information will be required annually.

Qualifications

Special Notes:
-Although this announcement is advertised for multiple duty locations, it is not intended to convey any implication nor expectation that positions will be filled at all locations.
-This announcement is being used to create an inventory of applicants for Health Scientist positions and will be used to fill immediate and future needs.
-Applicants are encouraged to apply early in order to maximize their employment opportunities. Your application will remain in the inventory of tentatively qualified applicants. Applicants that are among the best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration as requests to fill vacancies are processed by the Human Resources Office. The first cut-off date for you to be referred will be October 11, 2021. Thereafter, additional referral lists will be generated throughout the open period as vacancies occur. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
-This is an open continuous announcement. Qualified applicants will be considered as job opportunities occur and may or may not receive further notification regarding the status of their application.
-Temporary promotions may be extended up to a maximum of five years based on the needs of the agency without further competition.
-Temporary reassignments may be extended up to a maximum of six years based on the needs of the agency without further competition.
-Term appointments may be shortened or extended up to a maximum of four years based on the needs of the agency without further competition. Subsequent employment for CDC positions must be through the appropriate competitive process or special employment program hiring authorities.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

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 (external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements, applicants must meet the specialized experience as stated below:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

GS-15: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience directing health science studies, surveys, and/or projects related to public health programs.

Documenting Experience: In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the percentage of times the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

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.

This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with vacancy announcement HHS-CDC-D4-21-11232249 under competitive procedures. Please review that announcement to see if you are eligible for consideration under competitive procedures. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered.

To Remain An Active Duty USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer

  • Join more than 6,500 highly qualified public health professionals as part of the U.S. Public Health Service. Overseen by the Surgeon General, you will be part of an elite and diverse team of professionals essential to public health leadership and exemplary clinical service.
  • PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position with the Commissioned Corps, you are welcome to apply and receive a courtesy referral. Note that a courtesy referral is not a competitive civil service process and does not provide civil service status for the selected employee. Click Here for the comparison chart of Commissioned Corps ranks to civil service, which advises you on potential billet rankings.

Education

Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the education requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/jobs/future-applicant-information.html.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance on other Federal agency safety protocols based on vaccination status-including guidance on protocols related to masking, distancing, travel, testing, and quarantine-remains in effect. For answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on compliance with the applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, see this guidance (Issued January 24, 2022; PDF, Download Adobe Reader).


For more information see the Vaccinations section of the Safer Federal Workforce website.

Additional information

Overseas Assignments: Overseas assignments are for two years. The assignment may be extended based on the needs of the agency. Upon completion of the overseas assignment, CDC employees on temporary promotion/reassignment will be placed in accordance with CDC placement procedures. Subsequent employment for all others for CDC positions must be through the appropriate competitive process or special employment program hiring authorities.
-Potential selectees will remain in a different location, whether domestic or international, from the specific advertised position location. This is to complete the required training and security and/or medical clearances.
-This position will be entitled to comparability pay once deployed to overseas location.
-This position is eligible for special pay allowances (e.g., post differential, housing, relocation, etc.)
-Immunizations are required and will be administered by the CDC before relocating overseas.
-To work overseas for the CDC, the selectee will need to obtain security and medical clearances before being cleared to report to the overseas duty station. Continued employment will be subject to submission of all documentation necessary to obtain the medical and security clearances (including documentation for any accompanying dependents), within thirty (30) business days and obtaining the security clearance within six (6) months of the initial appointment. Please note the inability to secure the clearances necessary for overseas duty will result in the termination of the appointment to the position. · Citizens or permanent residents of the host country are not eligible to be considered.
-Current permanent status CDC employees will be processed using the appropriate temporary promotion or other temporary assignment authority for permanent employees of CDC. The selectee will have statutory return rights to their permanent CDC position title, series and grade once the overseas assignment is completed.
-Other current permanent status HHS employees will be hired on a term appointment. There are no statutory return rights. Subsequent employment for CDC positions must be through the appropriate competitive process or special employment program hiring authorities.
-Additional information on living and traveling abroad may be found at http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?ontent_id=184&menu_id=78.

Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov).

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

To view the questionnaire, click on the following link:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11232248

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document(s), view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated and rated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Ability to communicate in writing.
  • Ability to communicate orally.
  • Knowledge of public health program management.
  • Knowledge of scientific studies and surveys related to public health.

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