Communications Specialist

Summary

The Communications Specialist position is located in Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS). The position coordinates the marketing, recruiting, and process improvement efforts for outreach throughout the TRACTS network nationwide. This action involves research, reports, products, and organization data needed to design, conduct, and evaluate innovative means to advertise and market the short-term and long-term benefits of Veteran participation in TRACTS research.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

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

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Responsible for identifying venues/activities/entities throughout the Massachusetts and New England areas where Service Members and Veterans of Post 9/11 can be introduced to the study and be screened for inclusion/exclusion as human research participants.
• Developing recruitment strategies with the TRACTS Principal Investigators to plan, develop, and implement human subject recruitment that complies with existing governing regulations and guidelines.
• Maintaining transactional tracking database and overseeing data entry for contacts and related actions for all research participants.
• Analyzing participation trends, customer markets, and customer needs to develop a comprehensive, fact-based outreach and recruitment plan to accomplish the research effort systematically and effectively.
• Assisting participants in scheduling study related testing and procedures.
• Assisting the administrative officer in budget formulation, billing, fiscal management, operations, information technology, acquisitions, contracting, logistics, administration, safety, and strategic planning.
• Maintaining contact with study participants with regular and multiple reminders about study participation dates as well as navigate them through the study process.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-1:00pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition.

Requirements

Help

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 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

TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 GRADE LEVEL, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE : You must possess 1 year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) needed to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to this Communications Specialist position to be filled. Specialized experience for the position includes: Maintains websites and social media accounts. Develops and modifies advertising media to recruit research participants. Analyzes participation trends, customer markets and customer needs. Experience with presenting print material with information appropriate for varying audiences. Maintains database and oversees data entry for contacts and related actions for all research participants. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.)

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

PHYSICAL/WORKING CONDITIONS

The work is primarily sedentary. There may be some walking, bending, and occasionally may require lifting of light office equipment and materials. The work is primarily conducted in a typical office environment. Regular and recurring travel is required throughout the New England catchment area along with travel throughout the TRACTS Research Network.

Education

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.

Help

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.

Review our benefits

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.