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Program Applications Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The Dayton, Ohio VA Medical Center is looking for a Program Application Specialist that will support Surgical Services with a comprehensive knowledge of healthcare application support, clinical workflow processes, information security requirements, and program operations.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/15/2026 to 04/24/2026
Salary
$64,021 - $83,232 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Dayton, OH
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBSR-12922305-26-CC
Control number
865259900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Dayton, Ohio VAMC. **Time in grade applies - see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections to ensure the correct SF-50's are attached to your application.

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Duties

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Duties include but not limited to:

  • Analyzes user menu and access requirements and coordinates role-based access in accordance with least privilege principles, information security policy, and service operational needs.
  • Plans, coordinates, and validates implementation activities for new releases, patches, and system enhancements affecting Surgical Services workflows; tests updates in the designated environment and documents results before production use.
  • Develops and maintains local procedures for use of clinical applications, downtime operations, and recovery processes so service operations can continue safely and efficiently during planned or unplanned outages.
  • Reviews workflow performance, documentation patterns, and user feedback to identify system-related barriers that affect productivity, workload capture, or documentation accuracy.
  • Conducts validation reviews of data entry, order entry, templates, note titles, clinical documentation elements, and transaction flow to identify inconsistencies, omissions, or inefficiencies requiring corrective action.
  • Prepares written findings, issue summaries, and recommendations for leadership regarding application usage trends, operational risks, and opportunities to improve efficiency and standardization.
  • Assesses equipment, device, printer, workstation, and peripheral support needs related to application use and provides written input for planning, replacement, and service requests.
  • Develops or refines local tracking tools, checklists, and reference resources that improve end-user compliance with documentation standards and strengthen consistency in system use across Surgical Services.
  • Assesses training needs for providers, nurses, technicians, clerks, residents, fellows, and administrative staff by reviewing workflow errors, user questions, documentation trends, and changes in application functionality.
  • Develops comprehensive training plans, user guides, job aids, implementation checklists, quick-reference materials, and local standard work instructions tailored to Surgical Services roles and workflows.
  • Designs and delivers group and one-on-one instruction on application features, documentation requirements, device use, and information security practices using classroom, desk-side, and virtual training methods.
  • Evaluates the effectiveness of training by analyzing user performance, documentation quality, error patterns, and post-training questions, then revises instructional content and methods as needed.
  • Identifies training priorities when changes in software, policy, workflows, templates, or documentation requirements occur and develops proactive rollout plans to support timely implementation.
  • Provides refresher training at recurring intervals and as needed to address new releases, recurring errors, compliance concerns, and service-specific workflow changes.
  • Prepares written summaries and recommendations for supervisors and service leadership concerning training gaps, user readiness, and areas where additional education or process revision is needed.
  • Coordinates with facility educators, informatics staff, and other ADPACs to align training content with enterprise standards while adapting instruction to the operational realities of Surgical Services.
  • Independently investigates recurring user problems involving hardware interfaces, software applications, workflow sequencing, order entry, documentation completion, access issues, and transaction failures affecting surgical operations.
  • Applies analytical and evaluative methods to gather facts, compare expected and actual system behavior, identify root causes, and distinguish between local workflow problems and technical issues requiring escalation.
  • Conducts detailed reviews of work processes, data flow, documentation practices, and operational bottlenecks to identify substantive issues affecting efficiency, accuracy, or timely completion of work.
  • Develops, recommends, and tracks corrective actions to resolve operational problems and improve program effectiveness, including revised processes, retraining, standardization of practices, or escalation to technical support.
  • Prepares reports, issue logs, status updates, and written analyses for leadership that explain the problem, summarize findings, describe alternatives considered, and recommend practical solutions.
  • Monitors corrective actions after implementation to evaluate whether changes produced the intended result and whether additional adjustments or follow-up are required.
  • Analyzes information from multiple sources, including user reports, system output, audit findings, training feedback, and operational metrics, when making recommendations to improve productivity and program support.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Applications Specialist/PD021950
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
  • 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, 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, 04/24/2026.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Knowledge of healthcare information systems, clinical software applications, documentation requirements, and service-level operational processes.
  • Knowledge of the major program goals, work processes, administrative operations, and workflow relationships in order to analyze system issues in relation to real-world clinical and administrative operations.
  • Knowledge of VHA directives, local policy, information security requirements, documentation standards, and application procedures that govern system access, use, data integrity, and user responsibilities.
  • Skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods to study the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations, training activities, workflow processes, and application support functions.
  • Skill in conducting detailed analyses of work processes, user problems, transaction flow, documentation issues, and recurring operational deficiencies where information may be incomplete, varied, or drawn from multiple sources.
  • Ability to adapt analytical techniques and evaluation criteria to measure productivity, identify causes of operational problems, and recommend changes that improve program effectiveness and user performance.
  • Knowledge of training principles, adult learning techniques, and implementation methods sufficient to develop, revise, and administer training programs, guides, job aids, and implementation materials.
  • Interpersonal and communication skill sufficient to present findings, explain recommendations, and obtain cooperation from managers, supervisors, providers, trainees, and staff concerning application use and workflow changes.
OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have graduate education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level, you must possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or at least 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation
OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and and graduate level education as described above. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Your 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. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

The city of Dayton, known as the birthplace of flight, is located in the beautiful rolling hills of Southwestern Ohio and is within an hour drive of Cincinnati and Columbus. The Dayton metropolitan has five universities', affordable real estate, excellent school systems, museums, theater, seasonal recreational opportunities, and is the home of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The Dayton VA Medical Center is a tertiary care facility that provides acute, nursing home, mental health hospice/palliative, and domiciliary care in an affiliated teaching and research environment. For more information about the Dayton area, please visit: http://www.daytoncvb.com

Agency contact information

Clarissa Carey
Phone
713-791-1414 X22513
Email
CLARISSA.CAREY@VA.GOV
Address
Dayton VA Medical Center
4100 West Third Street
Dayton, OH 45428
US

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https://www.va.gov/jobs/

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