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Posted: April 14, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Research Health Scientist

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Location

Salary

$108,001 - $140,403

per year

Closes

April 20, 2026More VA jobs →

GS-13 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $88,520 - $115,079

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-12. Expert-level knowledge in field.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves leading research on aging-related health issues, like metabolic diseases and cellular changes, at a veterans' hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

The role focuses on managing grant-funded projects, guiding teams, and developing new ways to study and treat problems in older adults.

It's a good fit for someone with a science background who loves coordinating research and securing funding from sources like the National Institutes of Health.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's or higher degree in health sciences, medical field, or allied sciences from an accredited program
  • Experience in geriatric research, including pathophysiology, metabolic age-related diseases, cellular mechanisms, and signal transduction
  • Proven track record of completing investigations and disseminating research funded in geriatric fields
  • At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 level in directing geriatric research projects and developing new methods for clinical and translational studies
  • Skills in managing diverse grant project teams and pursuing funding from NIH, government, or public/private sectors
  • Ability to administer all aspects of research funding, including budgeting, protocols, salaries, and equipment
  • Willingness to relocate to San Antonio, TX, for an in-person term appointment (not virtual)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) Service, Audie L.

Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, South Texas Veterans Healthcare System (STVHCS), San Antonio, TX.

Basic Requirement: Applicants must meet the Basic Education Requirement to qualify for this Research Health Scientist.

Basic Education: 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 the position.

This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

(UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) AND Selective Placement Factor (screen-out) - Selective Placement Factors (SPF) have been identified for this position.

Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration.

The SPFs for this position are: SPF 1: Completes investigations and dissemination of active research funding in the specialized fields of geriatric pathophysiology, complications, and treatment of metabolic age-related diseases, cellular disease mechanisms, and signal transduction research.

SPF 2: Experience in managing a grant funding project team of diverse staff at all levels through collaboration to ensure effective, efficient, and productive geriatric research efforts (e.g.

grants options available from the organization, National Institute of Health (NIH), government, and/or public/private sector).

AND In addition to meeting the basic requirement and the SPFs, applicants must meet the specialized experience described below to be qualified for this position.

Specialized Experience: Requires at least one year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience includes: Providing direction and guidance regarding critical and complex geriatric problems; developing new methods, approaches, and procedures for grant funding research projects; these efforts include both clinical and translational studies; and Pursing aging based funding opportunities through National Institute of Health, local, and public/private sector grant approval; and Administering all aspects for funding research, including complete execution of assigned project grant salaries, equipment, protocols, and budgeting.

NOTE: Resume(s) must clearly support the required experience to be eligible for this GS-13 level position. We will not make assumptions regarding experience.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: work is primarily sedentary but involves some walking and extended hours for the completion of experiments.

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

However, there is periodic walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as equipment, instructional material, books, and manuals.

No special physical demands are required to perform the work, although it is recommend the employee is physically capable of lifting 40 pounds.

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:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 10 years).

Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration (more than 1 year up to 10 years).

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 (up to the 10-year maximum).

The appointment to a Term position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment.

NOTE: This is a part-time position (15 hours/week). The salary listed represents full-time employment and will be pro-rated based on the actual number of hours worked each pay period.

Likewise, benefits and time-off accrual will also be prorated and based on your part-time work schedule.

The primary purpose of this Research Health Scientist position, employee will serve as an independent Principal Investigator and Team Leader of an original research program investigating the methodologies of cellular signaling and metabolic diseases of aging as they relate to geriatrics and gerontology.

Duties will include but may not be limited to the following: Evaluates Research and Training Advising Others: Conducts investigations into the involvement of intracellular calcium signaling in the pathophysiology, complications, and treatment of metabolic diseases of aging, cellular disease mechanism, and signal transduction research.

Maintains funding for research activities. Originates independent research with full responsibility for the management and operation of research activities.

Leads staff/teams in diverse research areas, coordinates research program functions in a cost effective, efficient, and productive manner.

Trains and advise other researchers at graduate and postdoctoral levels of training.

Coordinates and conducts educational activities, including didactic and informal presentations at local, regional, and national levels.

Collaborates with investigators from a variety of disciplines, including geriatrics, gerontology, chemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, metabolism, immunology, and pathology.

Administrative and Research Grants/Funding: Serves as a researcher with responsibility for conducting collaborative and independent research in the above areas of research.

Leads teams of professional, technical, and support staff and trainees. Performs all administrative aspects of his/her research as outlined above.

Coordinates the expenditure of support funding and ensures that the laboratory functions in a cost efficient and effective manner. Obtains research grants from grant funding agencies.

Administers all aspects of funding for his/her research and executes grant budgets.

Presentation, Manuscripts, Education: Presents papers at meetings of regional and national scientific societies and prepares and submit manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Coordinate and conduct research educational activities (including didactic and informal presentations at local, regional, and national levels).

Conducts teaching sessions for postdoctoral fellows, residents, medical and graduate students, and other trainees. Perform other duties as necessary.

Work Schedule: Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule will be discussed during interview. Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.

Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

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Posted on USAJOBS: 4/14/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 4/14/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CARZ-12935692-26-NRT