Health System Specialist (Research Committee Manager)

Summary

The position manages regulatory committees and provides expertise regarding the underlying regulations in ensuring compliance in research. They provide analytical and procedural support of projects in a comprehensive research setting, providing day-today support for the VA Research Program. The position is directly involved in the approval of research projects and must be able to interpret, analyze and use discretion to implement and devise a wide range of policies.

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Duties

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The major duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Oversees and manages programs and activities, including preparation of committee and reviewer materials with appropriate documentation, ensuring projects are reviewed by appropriate personnel, and ensuring all outstanding issues related to project management are resolved in a timely manner.
• The position provides a high level of analytical and procedural skill to perform a variety of complex tasks related to the approval and maintenance of research projects including necessary regulatory approvals, decisions, submissions that are tied to protocol execution, data reporting and management.
• Serves as the accreditation liaison and is responsible for the preparation of accreditation applications, maintenance of standard operating procedures, institutional forms and committee operations in accordance with accreditation agency standards.
• Oversees and refines customized, networked computerized databases to allow for timely tracking of research projects.
• Develops and manages required annual and semi-annual reviews of the assigned programs, to include Animal Care and Use Program (ACUP), Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), Research Safety and Security Program (RSSP), as well as developing and managing the post approval monitoring program for assigned committees.
• Ensures that human subject research is reviewed, approved, and conducted in accordance with appropriate Federal, State and VA regulations and guidelines, funding agency specific guidelines, institutional policies, and appropriate accreditation standards. Serves as the institutional contact to answer questions of human subject protection regulation and policy. Responsible for efficient and compliant processes for research project review, approval and the oversight of human subjects' research performed by research committees.
• Researches and/or analyzes problems, administrative issues, or program requirements as they relate to animal, human subject or safety research and the research review process. Performs in-depth research, analyzes operating contingencies and special situations, and applies standard analytical techniques.
• Prepares policy guidance, develops, reviews, and updates standard operating procedures, motivational materials, and information to facilitate participation in important animal, human, and safety research protection program initiatives.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm; or as negotiated

Compressed/Flexible: May be available

Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Remote: This is not a remote position.

Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to the in-person work mandate in their current position.

Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA-owned or leased space.

Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in-person work unless they are approved for an exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will happen after a tentative job offer, but before a final job offer.

Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Research Committee Manager)/ PD99586S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 ( 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, 06/05/2026.

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.

Individual Occupational Requirement :

In order to meet the basic requirement of the Health Systems Specialist, 0671 series, you must possess one of the following:

1. Undergraduate or Graduate Education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

OR

2. Specialized Experience with 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:

• Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems;
• Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and
• Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

NOTE: Fields of major undergraduate/ graduate study that will also be considered include literature, science and mathematics (e.g. biology, English composition, physics or engineering majors). Areas of experience that will also be considered include science or social science fields of practice (e.g. research, technology, biology, psychology, public health, economics) and may have been performed in educational institutions or technological businesses.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupation Requirement above, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience to Qualify at the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Performing tasks related to the approval and maintenance of projects including necessary regulatory approvals, decisions, submissions that are tied to protocol execution, data reporting and management.
• Determining pertinent issues and collecting relevant information from a variety of sources and provides process solutions to committee Leadership for approval or, in some cases, independently resolves deficiencies, then implements process solutions.
• Initiating and/or reviewing correspondence for assigned projects and overseeing the maintenance of project and correspondence files as well as assembling background information, reports, and attachments by obtaining information from staff, literature, and files.
• Performing full reviews of project data and studies as part of quality assurance procedures.

OR,

Education to Qualify at the GS-11: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree which related to the work of the position or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. (TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED)

OR,

Combination of Education and Experience to Qualify at the GS-11: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above may be used to meet the total qualification requirements for this position. Only graduate education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate degree which related to the work of the position may be used to qualify at this level. (TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED)

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: 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:

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.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.