Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration will be current, permanent VISN 15 employees, second area of consideration will be current, permanent federal employees.

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This position serves as Health Science Specialist - Research Study Coordinator within the Research and Development (R&D) Service. The VA Research Program strives to promote Veteran-centered care to improve patient experiences and outcomes across VA healthcare and community settings, and to advance value-driven care by providing Veterans the highest quality care at the lowest financial burden.

The Research Study Coordinator manages clinical tests, collects data, and recruits and manages subjects for clinical trials while providing high-level technical support of projects in a comprehensive research setting. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Manages Clinical Tests and Collects Data

• Collects and analyzes data, educates, and interacts with study participants and leadership
• Provides detailed and summary information and recommendations for further actions based on the data analysis

• Manages implementation, control and reporting on clinical tests
• Implements data collection and monitors protocols for difficult clinical research studies
• Administers or monitors administration of tests and measurements required by project design
• Records data from samples and specimens to ensure that all tracking data is organized and is monitored during the progress of the study
• Identifies test results and trends requiring further analysis
• Maintains all study and regulatory records
• Prepares project and statistical reports for review process

Recruits and Manages Candidates for Clinical Trials

• Oversees, screens, and evaluates recruitment of candidates for clinical research studies via telephone and/or in person
• Uses objective rating techniques to identify potential candidates for participation in study where project design is complex
• Performs informed consent process throughout the study and continuously educates participants on study processes and procedures
• Performs day-to-day activities related to conducting and overseeing participant interviews and follow-up
• Coordinates study participant randomization to treatment, works closely with the Research Pharmacy on study drug provision

Research Project Support

• Assists supervisor with managing the routine, day-to-day activities, and administration of the project
• Plans, develops, completes, and submits on time all required documentation/ paperwork/forms for initial and continuing human subject's review
• Analyzes processes and documentation to ensure compliance with all technical, regulatory requirements, and information safety regulations
• Conducts quality assurance evaluations for project data and clinical research instruments, as applicable. Establishes and monitors remediation plans to correct deficiencies
• Drafts detailed and summary reports for presentation at meetings and conferences and for publication in peer reviewed journals
• Compiles and produces educational and training materials; determines contents needed for training binders and tools

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
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 ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Science Specialist - Not To Exceed 2 years/PD99718S

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, 04/27/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.

Basic Education Requirement: 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. A transcript is required at the time of application.

To qualify at the GS-11 level you must one of the following minimum qualification requirements in addition to the basic education requirement above.

Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Research Study Coordinator and provided you with knowledge of the full scope of activities required in conducting single and/or multi-site clinical research including study/project management, human subjects' protection, and regulatory and policy compliance. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:

• Performing a variety of tasks related to the conducting of the clinical/healthcare related research such as participant recruitment and enrollment, protocol execution, data reporting and management, and regulatory compliance
• Screening and evaluating the recruitment of candidates for clinical research studies
• Analyzing processes and documentation to ensure compliance with all technical, regulatory requirements, and information safety regulations
• Utilizing software used for project management, data collection, and regulatory compliance to extract, organize, track, and analyze data, produce letters and memorandums, and prepare a variety of documents and presentations
• Conducting telephone and in-person interviews of human study subjects using various methods of data collection

- OR -

Education: You may substitute the specialized experience with education if you possess a Master's or equivalent graduate degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

- OR -

Combination: A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree) and specialized experience may also be used to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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.

Preferred Experience: Research grant writing and submission.

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 primarily sedentary with occasional walking, standing, and handling and carrying items such as paper and books. There may be occasion needs to assist study participants with mobility to study location(s). Some travel will be required. The work is performed in a research setting requiring no special considerations beyond accepted standards of safety. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or during program/project and country visits.

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.