Lead Animal Health Technician
Veterans Health Administration
Posted: February 24, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Veterans Health Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Location
Richmond, Virginia
Salary
$64,475 - $83,822
per year
Type
Full-Time
More Healthcare & Medical jobs →Closes
Base salary range: $51,332 - $66,732
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-8. Master's degree or 2 years graduate study.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This entry-level job is a one-year training program for recent college graduates to learn how to manage and lead a VA medical center by working closely with top executives.
It focuses on building skills in healthcare systems through hands-on experience and analysis.
It's ideal for motivated new graduates with a master's degree in health administration or related fields who want to start a career in public healthcare service.
Health System Specialist Recent Graduate reports directly to the Chief of Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Medical Center Director.
The incumbent works closely with executive leadership and management staff to receive training and learn intricacies of leading a VA Medical Center and Healthcare System.The program builds and enhances knowledge obtained through higher education, requiring a high degree of analytical ability and specialized knowledge related to healthcare delivery systems.
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. 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.
GS-9: To be eligible for this position applicants must have completed a master's degree (within the last 2 years, 6 years for preference eligible veterans) in an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) in major field of study such as: hospital administration, public health administration (MHA, MHSA, MPH), or related fields such as business or public administration (MBA, MPA) with course work in health care administration by program start date, OR have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education in an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) in major field of study such as: hospital administration, public health administration (MHA, MHSA, MPH), or related fields such as business or public administration (MBA, MPA) with course work in health care administration by program start date.
GS-11: After completion of the Recent Graduate Program the selectee may be converted to a permanent career/career-conditional position up to the GS-11, contingent on successful job performance and funding availability.
Availability: Selected candidate must be able to report to duty NTL June 20, 2025. Physical Requirements - The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
OPM Qualifications Standards for GS-671. 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.
Major Duties:
The recent graduate program provides the agency with the opportunity to place a recent graduate in a one-year development program.
Agencies may noncompetitively convert participants who successfully complete the program to a term or permanent competitive service position.
This appointment does not guarantee a placement to a permanent position.
The position serves as a Health System Specialist (GHATP Trainee) within a one year formalized national training program (June to June).
The GHATP training program is designed so that the position acquires the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary to assume progressively more complex responsibilities and assist the Office of the Medical Center Director in successfully meeting its mission and strategic goals.
The position will develop an individual development plan (IDP) and receive recurring progress reviews by the supervisor.
Duties include but are not limited to the following: Participates in the establishment and implementation of quality and productivity programs for the Medical Center; conducts reviews to ensure that Medical Center resources are being appropriately and fully utilized; assists with the quality assurance program by data collection, data management, monitoring, tracking, analyzing and interpreting data; and, assists with the development, interpretation, application, and integration of objective criteria and acceptable standards for use in monitoring activities.
Assists or performs cost benefit analysis or economic evaluations of programs; assists with reviewing all aspects of the program including: statutes, policies, objectives, workload models, resource estimates and utilization, issues, constraints, impacts and concerns related to other organizational components.
Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives; analyzes and integrates program financial, personnel, technical, procurement, construction, and scheduling information.
Participates in the development of both long and short-range policies and plans for the organization; identified needs and potential issues/concerns by devising flexibilities in operations and constructive, cost-effective approaches to the resolution of problems; participates in the initial planning stages for new initiatives in medical center managerial planning; and participates in the analysis and interpretation of workload and other data used in resource planning.
Work schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Available when needed.
Position Number: Health System Specialist, GS-671-9, #03046A Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Non-exempt Supervisory Position: No.
Bargaining Unit Position: No Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Relocation Expenses/PCS: Not authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required
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