Clarification from the agency

Open to Current Permanent Veterans Health Administration (Agency) Employees ONLY, including West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (Facility) Employees. Facility Employees will have FIRST consideration.

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The Office of Research is responsible for the development and maintenance of an organized and dynamic program of clinical and health systems research at WPBVAMC and is affiliates. Among the chief responsibilities of the office are compliance with federal laws and regulations, VA policies and procedures for the review, approval, management, oversight, and conduct of research, with particular attention to ethical behavior and protection of the rights of human subjects. The Program Specialist is responsible for writing, reviewing and updating policies and operating procedures which affect the research activities and for assuring the proper maintenance of required records and the submission of reports and related documents to appropriate supervisory organizations and individuals a local, VISN, and Central Office levels. They contribute to the initiative of the Medical Center to apply for, obtain, and maintain accreditation by research protection accreditation bodies.

Additional Duties Include But Not Limited To:

• Develops both long and short-range policies and plans for the organization by coordinating the needs of the organization(s) for which accountable.
• Prepares collaborative agreements, correspondence and compilation of reports.
• Works with adjustments in allocations during the year, prepares or consults in preparation of periodic reports to local, state, and federal agencies.
• Prepares and documents short and long-range plans for the development of the Research Office.
• Complies with directives in preparing annual and cyclical planning documents.
• Obtains and consolidates planning information from subordinate units.
• Administers planning process and provides recommendations to the ACOS/E&R regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing program activities.
• Establishes criteria for addressing unique or special situations.
• Monitors and analyze changes in mission goals, new legislation, and technological advances to assess the impact of these changes on work methods/procedures and to develop new systems which will address these changes.
• Assists the ACOS/E&R with the oversight and monitoring of research conducted by various schools, colleges, and universities that are affiliated with the WPBVAMC, as well as with research collaborators from other federal and state agencies and the private sector.
• Assists in the preparation and submission of filings with offices and agencies including but not limited to the Office of Research and Development (ORO), the Office of Research Oversight (ORO), the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
• Reviews all such documents prior to the obtaining the signatures of the ACOS/E&R, Chief of Staff, and the Medical Center Director.
• Has input into planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating of the WPBVAMC research program.
• Coordinates communications and joint initiatives between the Research Office, WPBVAMC staff, other academic affiliates, and community partners engaged in research.
• Assumes primary responsibility, under the supervision of the ACOS/E&R, for the preparation of documentation necessary for research program accreditation.
• Serves as the facility's liaison representative to designated affiliates and agencies as directed by the ACOS/E&R.
• Has input into all aspects of the research review, approval, and monitoring process.
• Establish and maintains working relationships with funding agencies, VA Central Office staff, Principal Investigators and their personnel, and collaborating academic and private sector participants in VA research.
• Meets with affiliates and collaborators to discuss policy, procedural, and budgetary issues related to cooperative research projects.
• Will recognize the need for new polices and bring such policies to the attention of the Associate Chief of Staff/Education and Research.
• Develops, evaluates, and modifies organizational structure and systems to achieve program goals.
• Participates in the analysis and interpretation of workload and other data used in resource planning.
• Principal liaison with the Miami VAHCS, VA Central IRB, and any other IRBs with which the facility has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
• Works with counterparts at external IRBs to assure that MOUs are appropriately developed and endorsed by VISN, VA Office of Research and Development and VA Office of Research Oversight.
• Responsible for the transmission of documents needed by these external IRBs for evaluation of research projects proposed by WPBVAMC staff and approved by WPBVAMC Research and Development Committee.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Research and Development)/PD03113O
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 identification 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, 06/29/2026.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience or education s described below:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Developing or monitoring the development of economic impact models that reflect economic, scientific, and engineering considerations appropriate to the industry or geographic area affected by proposed agency actions.
• Analyzing the economic impact, feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness of existing and/or proposed environmental standards, regulations, programs, and policies.
• Identifying defects or weaknesses in the analytic work performed by officials responsible for the development of regulations and standards.
• Identifying and analyzing the key issues in proposed regulations, standards, or guidelines.
• Forecasting effects of proposed regulations and standards such as plant closings, unemployment, price fluctuations, balance of trade impacts, and community disruption.
• Developing alternative agency strategy, and assessing the environmental and economic tradeoffs.
• Identifying and assessing Government (Federal, State, and local) resource impacts of proposed agency actions.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have: Master's degree in economics, statistics, mathematics, applied sciences, law, or other fields related to the position is qualifying for GS-11 research positions. Total undergraduate and graduate study must have included at least 9 semester hours in mathematics and statistics and 9 semester hours in economics. Degree work must have included independent study or research in regulatory impact. Theory courses, without independent study or research, are not sufficient to demonstrate ability to per-form at the GS-11 level..

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

• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Customer Service: Knowledge of the scientific principles, methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

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 primarily sedentary, but requires some bending, stooping, and walking. There is extensive use of a computer. The position requires some travel, both local and national, to attend professional meetings and trainings.

Work Environment: The work is performed primarily in an office setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms. The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated.

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.