Health Science Specialist

Full Job Description

The Health Science Specialist serves as an institutional contact person for human research protection.

Incumbent is responsible for the management of the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), including general administration, planning, and oversight of all matters related to research involving human subjects, including VA Central Institutional Review Board (IRB), and NCI Central IRB and the facility's IRB, the Veterans IRB of Northern New England.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/15/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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.

Provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" to indicate your current federal status.

You must also submit additional SF-50(s) to clearly demonstrate one year time-in-grade as required in the announcement.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year time-in-grade.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your education/experience/combination as described below.

Individual Occupational Requirements: 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 this position.

This degree must be from an education program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

To qualify at the GS-09 level, in addition to meeting the Basic Education requirement, applicants must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience is defined as assisting with the preparation of regulatory documentation to Institutional Review Boards (IRBs); applying a working knowledge of federal regulations governing human subjects' research; assisting with the screening of candidates for clinical studies in accordance with established protocols; performing routine tests and supporting the day-to-day operations of research projects.

(Resume(s) must clearly demonstrate the required experience to be creditable.); OR Education (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences, or allied sciences that is appropriate to the work of this position; OR Combination (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level education (beyond 1 year of progressively higher-level graduate education) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the 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..

To qualify at the GS-11 level, in addition to meeting the Basic Education requirement, applicants must meet one of the following: 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.

Specialized experience is defined as submitting regulatory documentation to Institutional Review Boards (IRBs); overseeing clinical research activities involving human participants; interpreting policies and/or writing policies; evaluating candidates for clinical studies; performing tasks related to the daily analysis of research project activities (such as organizing/analyzing data from various sources); and following regulatory guidelines in the performance of duties.

(Resume(s) must clearly demonstrate the required experience to be creditable); OR Education (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must t 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences, or allied sciences that is appropriate to the work of this position; OR Combination (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate level education (at least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the 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.

Additional Assessment Requirements: Executive Order (EO) 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service ("Restoring Merit"), and the Chance to Compete Act of 2024, require agencies to "incorporate skills-based and competency-based technical assessments" into the Federal hiring process.

To ensure that Federal jobs are filled based on merit and competence.

Every hiring process across the competitive service, or any process otherwise subject to competitive hiring, must include at least one technical or alternative assessment before issuance of the certificate.

This announcement requires the submission of an Accomplishment Record Assessment, which measures knowledge, skills, abilities, or competencies.

Per Office of Personnel Management General Schedule Qualification Policies, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description.

Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, human resources director, or official documentation such as SF-52, SF-50 documenting an official detail/assignments, or other comparable documentation).

The documentation must indicate whether the employee performed the duties full time or, if part-time, the percentage of times the employee performed the additional duties.

To receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your position, you must provide official documentation of such experience as indicated above.

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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/alph-ndx.asp. Major Duties:

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Total Rewards Work Schedule: Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Dependent on Supervisor Approval Telework: Telework may be available based on VA Rules and Supervisor discretion.

Duty Location Status: Will work from a VA owned or leased space Position Description Title/PD#: Health Science Specialist/ PD02914 and PD02002 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Physical Demands: The work is sedentary.

Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform portions of the work.

However, there is periodic walking; standing; bending: carrying of light items such as project/regulatory binders, meeting agendas, instructional material, books and manuals.

No special physical demands are required to perform the work. This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11.

At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence.

You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11.

Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.

Promotion is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

Major Duties: Ensures implementation of a comprehensive research educational program that offers training on compliance for the research community.

Serves as point of contact for internal and external research integrity inquiries pertaining to human subjects research.

Prepares policies for complex programs pertinent for human subject research protection. Ensures timely dissemination of regulatory and policy updates to investigators and other research staff.

Incumbent serves as the primary liaison for compliance matters related to human subjects research, ensuring adherence to the Common Rule (45 CFR 46) and applicable regulatory requirements.

Coordinates the development of policies, procedures, and criteria for administering the organization's human subjects research program.

Assists investigators and research staff in the preparation of complex reports and implementation of research procedures for individual projects across participating VA Medical Centers.

Conducts screening activities for human subject's research projects to ensure completeness and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Provides advisory support to investigators and research staff regarding human subject's research policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Coordinates and manages the approval process for the organization's Human Subjects Research Program.

Serves as a liaison between investigators, research staff, and participating VA Medical Centers regarding human subject's research compliance and approval processes.

Assists in the implementation and monitoring of research program procedures across participating facilities.

Ensures required documentation, reports, and regulatory submissions are completed accurately and in a timely manner.