Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS), Division of Patient Safety Organizations (PSO). The duty location for this position is in Rockville, MD.

For more information about AHRQ, click the "Learn more about the Agency" Box.

**Applicants please note: Additional selections may be made across the Department of Health and Human Services through this vacancy announcement.**
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Supervisory Social Science Analyst, you will lead, plan, develop, organize, and direct the Patient Safety Organizations (PSO) program and in this leadership capacity, manages the operations of CQuIPS' PSO Division.

Specifically, you will:

• Direct short and long-range planning activities to define priority areas of focus, including the prudent use of resources, for the PSO program to meet the responsibilities delegated to AHRQ by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA).
• Lead Center efforts to develop and implement procedures to ensure that PSOs are in full compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical expertise in design, implementation, and evaluation of the Center's PSO Division.
• Represent the Agency on professional committees, panels, and work groups and provides substantive input related to the implementation of the Patient Safety Act and the certification and maintenance of the PSOs.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U. S. Citizenship is required.
• Males ages 18 through 25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Background investigation required.
• PHS Commissioned Corps applicants must submit current personnel orders.
• This position has an education requirement; transcripts are required if you wish to be considered based on education.
• Financial disclosure statement is required. If selected, you will be required to file a public or confidential financial disclosure.
• A one year supervisory probationary period may be required.
• Position is not in the Bargaining Unit.
• Drug Screening is not required.
• Recruitment incentives are not authorized.
• Student loan repayment incentive is not authorized.
• Travel, transportation and relocation expenses will not be paid.

Qualifications

THESE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE: 08/23/2019

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

To qualify for this position, you must have:

Degree: In behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

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.

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.

AND

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

To qualify for this Supervisory Social Science Analyst position at the GS-15 level, in addition to the educational requirements above, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-14 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Planning, coordinating, and evaluating the efforts that support improvement of patient safety and health care quality and that translate policy into an operational Federal program; preparing and approving materials related to the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA).

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; religious; community; student; social). If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

Education

If you qualify on the basis of education in lieu of experience, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades) to document that you have met the education. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to your starting work.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov .

Additional information

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

HHS is an equal opportunity employer. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status or other differences.

Click here for information on " Federal hiring for individuals with disabilities ".

Security and Background Requirements: If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees . Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.

E-Verify: AHRQ participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their social security numbers.

Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Creditable Service: A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for annual leave for prior work experience directly related to the duties of the position being filled. The use of this service credit is at the discretion of the selecting official and must be finalized prior to selectee's entrance on duty. For more information, please click here .

Financial Disclosure: This position requires you to file a public or confidential financial disclosure report prior to receiving a final offer letter as well as within 30 days of your appointment. This will require you to report information such as recent sources of income, financial interests you hold, and outside activities you participate in, as well as similar information from a spouse or any dependent children. If you have questions, please contact AskHR@hrsa.gov .

AHRQ supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. Telework eligibility may be discussed during the interview process.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Category rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified.

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): Must be found to be well-qualified to exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position. Click here for more information on ICTAP/CTAP .

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• LEADERSHIP - Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches and mentors subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
• PATIENT SAFETY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT - Plans, develops, coordinates and manages the structure and administration of patient safety programs, the policies that impact those programs, safety outcomes, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and clinical measures as appropriate.
• COLLABORATION - Works cooperatively with others, inside and outside the organization, to accomplish objectives to build and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships, leverage information, and achieve results.
• SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE - Provides knowledge or conducts studies of a body of information based on empirical or theoretical processes and principles in relation to scientific laws, arranged and communicated by qualitative and quantitative descriptions, and based on observation and experimentation.

To preview the occupational assessment questionnaire, please click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10578263

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact either HRSA's Office of Human Resources at (301) 443-3780 or by email: askhr@hrsa.gov or HRSA's Reasonable Accommodation programs at (301) 443-2538 or by email: RA-Request@hrsa.gov . You must contact the Reasonable Accommodations Program prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM EST (except Federal holidays).

Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete online Application Package which includes:

A current Resume - For resume writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Resources Center or view their video tutorial . If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that include beginning and ending dates (month/year) for paid and non-paid work experience, including the average number of hours worked per week for each job title listed. You must also ensure that the duties performed are clearly matched to each period of employment. If we cannot determine that you have performed qualifying duties for at least one year, then you may be rated ineligible .

A complete Assessment Questionnaire

Other supporting documents to be submitted with application:

• If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 Copy), or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. Click here for more information on veterans' preference .
• Personnel Orders: PHS Commissioned Corps Officers must submit a copy of latest personnel orders in lieu of SF-50.
• If you are currently serving in a pay banded position, please include a copy of your pay band chart with your application.
• College Transcripts (if the position has a positive education requirement, or you are qualifying on the basis of education).

For Résumé and Application Tips visit the USAJOBS Resource Center .

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/23/2019.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.