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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

The major duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides expert guidance and consultation to research investigators, post-doctoral fellows and VA and academic research communities;
• Oversees activities related to development of new projects and dissemination of research progress and findings;
• Manages the scientific aspect of studies while overseeing technical and administrative issues related to the projects executed at the service-level;
• Leads initiatives to design and execute scientific studies and initiatives including stakeholder engagement, scientific review processes, staffing, budget and dissemination of results;
• Prepares summaries and reports for wide dissemination inside and outside VA;
• Makes decisions regarding strategic planning, priority setting, scientific direction and operations;
• Develops, oversees and maintains policy, procedures and standard operating procedures (SOPs) appropriate to the conduct of high-quality research operations;
• Oversees the daily operation of HSR&D, ensuring that agency policies and priorities are being followed;
• Monitors research and center budgets and developing, implementing and monitoring procedures for investigator support including but not limited to travel, training and publications;
• Develops action plans to improve performance and effectiveness;
• Ensures projects and initiatives are completed on time by providing ongoing review of project scope and schedules, including project guidelines, requirement and deliverables;
• Formulates and ensures continued appropriateness and timely communication of all assigned study and center activities and events to the HSR&D Service Chief and Center Director and other key stakeholders;
• Performs research projects as an independent investigator;
• Carries out Equal Employment Opportunity policies and program activities;
• Performs the full range of supervisory responsibilities to include but not limited to oversees the work of contractors; management of staff workflows; facilitates the appropriate allocation of staff resources to projects, ensuring timely assignment, adequate funding and effort; assessment and recruitment of new staffing; gives expert advice, counsel and instruction to employees on work and administrative matters; develops performance plans and conducts performance appraisals; hears and resolves minor complaints from employees; interviews candidates, recommends appointments, promotions, reassignments; identifies and provides for training needs, etc.; and,
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following Basic Education Requirement for the 0601 series:

Basic Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree, with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the Supervisory Health Science Specialist - Deputy Director of Research Operations position. 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. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~AND~

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement above, to qualify for this position at the GS-14 level, you must meet the following:

Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Supervisory Health Science Specialist - Deputy Director of Research Operations, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is demonstrated lead or supervisory experience such as directing the work of subordinates, managing performance, reviewing training needs, etc.; developing and directing the administrative and operational activities of a healthcare research program to include the budget/fiscal, human resources, purchasing/contracting functions; performing complex analytical studies and interpretation of results; overseeing new methods, approaches or procedures in the coordination of research projects or clinical studies; exercising interpersonal and team building skills with all levels of the organization. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• MANAGES AND ORGANIZES INFORMATION
• RESEARCH
• ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work of the position is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. Typically, the person in the position sits comfortably to do the work.
Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted, heated and ventilated office or telework environment, meeting rooms or similar settings. Travel involves the normal risks and discomforts of automobile, bus, rail, or air transportation.

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/.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.