Duties

Summary

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN EXTENDED, IF YOU HAVE ALREADY APPLIED, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-APPLY.

This position is located within the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. The Computer Scientist is responsible for identifying, initiating, developing, implementing, and supporting innovative imaging analysis and post-image acquisition processing initiatives.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develops and maintains imaging and radiomics related systems;
• Determines the effectiveness of innovative approaches and methodologies for image acquisition, archiving, segmentation, and analysis, and for the utilization of post-processing tools;
• Uses state-of-the-art methods and practices to collect two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) morphological data, dynamic four-dimensional (4D) data, and functional and molecular imaging data;
• Produces clinically relevant radiomics reports;
• Researches, develops, implements, and maintains imaging and statistics-based software systems using knowledge of imaging data structures and computer systems architecture;
• Enhances the applicability of post-processing imaging systems to existing clinical algorithms;
• Investigates software architecture and develops methods to improve software reusability and portability;
• Collaborates with team members and other colleagues to identify additional knowledge management needs;
• Develops new software systems for integration into existing software systems and data structure;
• Provides technical guidance and software application support for scientific computing within the areas of imaging analysis, sequence analysis, linkage analysis, and database design;
• Provides technical assistance to Radiologists, Residents, Technologists, and Radiology Administrators regarding technical data collection and analysis;
• Provides administrative and technical computer science leadership for data management functions;
• Recommends improved workflow practices;
• Facilitates communication among team members;
• Participates in conferences and tumor board meetings;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be required to serve a probationary period
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following criteria:
BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Bachelor's or higher degree in computer science or 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semesters must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. NOTE: You must submit transcripts with your application. Education will not be credited without documentation.
~AND~
In addition to meeting the basic educational requirement above, you must also meet the following specialized experience requirement:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in Federal Service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Computer Scientist GS-12. Examples of specialized experience include: developing and maintaining imaging radiomics related computer systems; assisting in the design and implementation of an integrated information/computer system infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of clinical imaging activities; evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of image data management processes; performing advanced and complex image texture analysis of 2D/3D/4D data sets; and providing technical assistance to radiologists, residents, radiology administrators regarding imaging software systems and data collection. NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

A Quality Ranking Factor* has been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for a position. The quality ranking factor for this position is: Experience utilizing post-processing imaging software such as: Dynacad, MIM Software (MIMS), Multiple Fusion software applications, Tera Recon, Vitrea, Neurogquant, Invivo functional, Advanced Work Station (AW) by General Electric, Syngo.

*Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Communications
• Computer Languages
• Computers and Electronics
• Data Management
• Quality Ranking Factor
• Technical Competence

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; 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.

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/ .

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform portions of the work. However, there is periodic walking; standing; bending; lifting. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (804) 675-5000.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ .

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC . WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

IMPORTANT: Please ensure your resume include up-to-date contact information (phone number(s), email address(s), etc.)

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• Transcript

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• OF-306
• Other (1)
• Other (2)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

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.