Research Social Scientist (Without Compensation)

Full Job Description

Please note: There is no pay associated with this position. This position serves as a Without Compensation Research Social Scientist within the Office of Research and Development (ORD).

The VA Research Program strives to promote Veteran-centered care to improve patient experiences and outcomes across VA healthcare and community settings, and to advance value-driven care by providing Veterans the highest quality care at the lowest financial burden.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/23/2026.

Experience: All qualified applicants must meet this specialized experience for the WOC Research Social Scientist.

Involvement in research projects involving anhedonia, PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders. Conducting advanced statistical analyses (including latent profile and network analysis).

Performing neuroimaging analyses. Analyzing resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data?

AND Education: A bachelor or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in behavioral or social science.

OR Combination: Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

(Copies of transcripts are required at the time of application) OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work is predominantly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work.

However, there will be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of items of moderate weight such as large binders, banker style file boxes, meeting materials, papers, books or small parts.

Hand and eye coordination for delicate testing procedures may be the only special physical demand required to perform the work. Major Duties:

The initial application review cut-off for this job announcement is 50 applications. The first 50 applications received will be considered first.

Applications received after the initial cut-off number (50 applications) may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management.

Major Duties: Involvement in research projects involving anhedonia, PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders.

Conducting advanced statistical analyses (including latent profile and network analysis). Performing neuroimaging analyses. Analyzing resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data?

Work Schedule: Full-time (Without Compensation)