Program Support Assistant

Summary

*** This is a part-time, term-appointed position ***

This position is located in the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at Dayton VA medical Center in Dayton, OH. The Program Support Assistant serves as Research Assistant assisting the Research/Study Coordinator with the day-to-day operations of the study including enrolling participants, collecting data, and providing support to the Research Coordinator and Local Site Investigator.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This is a term appointment not to exceed 1 year and 1 day. Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration of more than 1 year, but not more than 4 years and are subject to a 1 year trial period. Should the need warrant, term appointments may be extended without further competition up to a maximum of the 4 year limitation. The appointment to a term position does not confer eligibility for promotion, reassignment, or transfer to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment.

Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Supporting routine day-to-day program activities, including structured interviews, informed consent, participant data collection, and study documentation
• Maintaining participant records, consent forms, data management systems, source documentation, and Investigator study files
• Developing and maintaining appropriate tracking, filing, and record-management systems for program documentation and participant samples
• Responding independently to inquiries from program participants, staff, and stakeholders and preparing general communications, memoranda, and reports
• Coordinating meetings by arranging space, notifying participants, preparing agendas and minutes, and following up on assigned commitments
• Preparing confidential, technical, and administrative documents and research materials for program staff and leadership
• Compiling and summarizing information from files, databases, and other sources while preparing reports and highlighting relevant information for staff
• Entering and analyzing data using Microsoft Office, VA databases, and other electronic systems, including performing statistical queries and supporting administrative monitoring and quality control
• Supporting local site activities related to participant enrollment and program implementation
• Scheduling participant visits and coordinating enrollment activities in accordance with program requirements
• Conducting participant visits, including informed consent discussions, structured interviews, and health assessments
• Preparing and maintaining accurate program documentation related to participant enrollment and study activities
• Managing enrollment processes independently, including obtaining informed consent when applicable and ensuring required procedures are completed
• Interacting directly with participants as a primary point of contact for program-related questions and inquiries
• Explaining the informed consent process, including the research program, associated risks, and potential benefits
• Managing clinical test implementation, quality control, and reporting in accordance with study protocols and maintaining accurate records and required clinical documentation for study participation
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (This is a part-time position. 20 hours/week)

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

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 is primarily sedentary. Typically the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. There may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as focus group audio visual equipment, Xerox paper and books. There may also be required work involving walking to and from the main Dayton VA campus or traveling to Community-Based Outpatient Clinics.
• 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 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirement: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as a Program Support Assistant in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must meet.

• Specialized Experience (GS-07): You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-06). Qualifying specialized experience is experience providing administrative and program support directly related to or in support of human-subjects medical or clinical research studies or programs, including, but not limited to: providing administrative and program support for clinical research activities; collecting and compiling clinical research or study data; maintaining clinical research program records and protocols; coordinating participant and patient activities for clinical research programs including enrollment, scheduling, informed consent processes, and communication; and ensuring activities are conducted in accordance with applicable clinical research protocols, policies, and procedures. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.)

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

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.

Education

IMPORTANT: There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. 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.