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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***

This position requires knowledge of the full scope of activities required to conduct single and multisite research in the areas of human subject protection, biosafety, Institutional Review Boards (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC), and R&D Committees through regulatory and policy compliance. This position may be assigned to one or more regulatory committees and functions under the direction of research leadership.


R&D, IRB, IACUC, SRS, CIRB, IBC, and/or HRPP Program Administration 50%

• Serve as the Program Manager and Specialist for multiple regulatory committees
• Provide oversight of the entire review process of research protocols involving animal and/or human subjects
• Ensure that all respective committee actions and procedures are within the scope of all applicable local, Office of Research and Development (ORD), Office of Research Oversight (ORO), Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USDA, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Provide information to the respective regulatory research committees regarding ever-changing and evolving regulations
• Apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to research issues or studies and oversee and manage these programs and their activities
• Develop and maintain a pre-review program that coincides with IRB, IACUC, and R&D Committee review of all research involving human, animal subjects, basic laboratory science and the human research protection program
• Develop and maintain required annual and semi-annual reviews of assigned programs
• Provide review of ORD studies
• Educate the investigative community of local and external policies and procedures about research involving animal and human subjects
• Develop reporting procedures

Quality and Compliance 25%

• Maintain the federal-wide assurance with the Office of Human Research Protection
• Maintain the IBC registration with the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Policy
• Maintain accreditation process for AAALAC
• Analyze and evaluate each research project to ensure compliance with Federal and State regulations
• Develop programs, policies, and procedures with the Research Office
• Monitor quality assurance program implementation
• Conduct quality improvement activities, special projects, or studies

Administrative Oversight 25%

• Prepare all external reviews for FDA, USDA, ORO, AALAC, etc.
• Perform in-depth research and/or analyze problems, administrative issues, or program requirements about animal, human subjects or safety research
• Provide advice/consultation to IRB, IACUC, and R&DC chairs, members and staff on ethical principles, laws and regulations
• Design and studies training programs
• Serve as electronic records system administrator

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00AM - 4:30PM
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. AD-HOC - Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

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
• 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 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 at the GS-11 grade level, you must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience directly related to this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that is directly related to the position. Specialized experience includes progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: (a) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (b) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; (c) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel and procurement. The experience required at this level is performed under general supervision, very difficult and responsible work along special technical or administrative lines in office, business, or fiscal administration requiring specialized training and considerable administrative experience which demonstrated capacity for sound independent work. Specialized experience also includes functioning as the Program Manager and Specialist for multiple regulatory committees, provide oversight of the entire review process of research protocols involving animal and/or human subjects, ensure that all respective committee actions and procedures are within the scope of all applicable local, Office of Research and Development (ORD), Office of Research Oversight (ORO), Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USDA, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), develop and maintain required annual and semi-annual reviews of assigned programs, educate the investigative community of local and external policies and procedures about research involving animal and human subjects, develop programs, policies, and procedures with the Research Office, monitor quality assurance program implementation.
-OR-
You may substitute specialized experience with education if you have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Examples: hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. A copy of your transcript(s) is required.
-OR-
Equivalent combinations of education and specialized experience (as described above) may also be used to meet the requirements. A copy of your transcript(s) is required.

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

• Administration and Management
• Critical Thinking
• Project Management
• Research

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 is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. May require occasional travel.

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.