Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent Central Arkansas Veteran Healthcare System Employees including satellites and CTAP eligibles.

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Duties:

• Develops and/or reviews and approves policies and procedures for administration of the organization's research program.
• The ACOS is responsible for compliance with both VISN- and VACO-mandated research policies including those issued by the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Office of Research Oversight (ORO).
• The ACOS is also responsible for leading efforts to obtain and maintain mandated accreditation of the Program for Human Research by as required by VACO and the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) program.
• Continuously monitors new and revised legislation, VHA Directives and mandates from other agencies (OSHA, FDA, the JC, OIG, etc.) to identify changes.
• Assists in the development of new and/or updates existing research policies and procedures bases on new or modified regulations and mandates to maintain compliance.
• The ACOS for Research monitors the effectiveness of the interactive research program to develop procedures necessary to advance the research program in accordance with all principles, rules and regulations affecting research within the VA and other Federal Agencies.
• Monitors compliance with the program requirements.
• Conducts program assessments and prepares reports necessary to apprise the MCD, COS and R&D Committee of status of the program.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm (subject to change based on the needs of the agency)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Associate Chief of Staff (Research & Developement)/PD048310
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 or 2-year trial 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 or trial 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, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/20/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Individual Occupational Requirement :
Applicants who meet the Individual Occupational Requirement described below must also meet the specialized experience requirements listed below.

• 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 at the time the degree was obtained.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Specialized Experience:

• Demonstrates work experience using qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and healthcare programs.
• Skilled in using computers and applicable databases/software for statistical purposes and managing information.
• Experience as a mentor and coach while promoting problem solving and the development of smooth functioning teams.
• Experience as a leader/supervisor for a defined group of specialties assuring that business operations and decision support excellent patient care.
• Skilled in managing, coordinating, and planning budget cycles for clinical operations in programs responsible for clinical services for long-term strategic plans and recommendations.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Communications
• Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills
• Organizational Stewardship

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform portions of work, however there is periodic walking to and from the Research area to the departments in the main hospital; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as files, policy and committee meeting binders, books, research glassware, chemicals, specimens etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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.