Program Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Executive Director for Resources Service of the Greater Los Angeles Department of Veterans' Affairs.

The incumbent is responsible for assisting the Research Compliance Officer in developing and implementing the Research Compliance program at GLA.

This would include increased responsibility for special projects, interpretation and reporting of audit results and assessment of risks of non-compliance for the institution and the research component.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/06/2026.

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.

GS-11You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: 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.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: budget, procurement, pertinent laws, regulations, policies, conduct projects management processes, program services, reports, managing fund control, and coordinate daily administrative operations.

(must be in resume) OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related..

OR, (attach transcripts) Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education.

Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: Coordinate with the Research Service; Research Pharmacy; and Radiation Safety; and R&D Committee/Subcommittees to ensure the ethical conduct of research for all GLA, Non-profit, and Academic Affiliate-projects involving human subjects.

Work closely with the HRPP Administrator and the Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in ensuring continuing accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).

Develop appropriate audit tools and conduct routine and "for cause" audits of the HRPP program including, but not limited to: informed consent monitoring, protocol audits, investigation device audits, investigation drug audits and verification that all research is approved by the V A Research and Development Committee.

Prepare audit reports and compliance analysis, including recommendations for quality improvement and performance standards for review by the RCO.

Coordinate with the Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) in insuring continuing accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).

Work closely with the Bio-safety Subcommittee and Radiation Safety to ensure that animal laboratory self-inspections are completed and deficiencies corrected, and that any bio-safety issues are identified on proposals for review submitted by Investigators.

Identify, report, and correct problems related to the ethical conduct of research, issues of conflict of interest, and issues involving intellectual property rights.

Training of Investigators, Research Staff, Research Committee and Subcommittee Members and Research Administrative Staff.

Facilitate and participate in compliance education opportunities, including presentations at local and national meetings.

Exercise judgment and ensure that any patient safety issues revealed during audits are communicated to the principle investigators promptly in lieu of a formal report.

Assist in the development of new research compliance assurance technologies, including the evaluation and refinement of a computer-based compliance software package.

Attend and participates in appropriate meetings including VISN Research meetings, and ORD directed site visits, training and travel.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00a-4:30p Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Not Authorized Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD078770 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized