Duties

Summary

As a Health Scientist Administrator, the individual performs a wide variety of duties and responsibilities relating to the advanced environmental engineering assignments to improve and provide healthcare systems in the field of wastewater-based testing (WBT) surveillance, epidemiology, detection technologies, and computational modeling for SARS-COV-2.
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Responsibilities

Demonstrate knowledge of and assist higher grade level scientists in the following programmatic areas in the field of wastewater surveillance: 1) Investigation and demonstration of specific approaches aiming to inform and optimize wastewater sample collection; 2) Demonstration of effective and optimized wastewater sample analysis approaches. Implementation and development of wastewater-based epidemiology optimized approaches to extrapolate estimation of population-level data within the community; 3) Development of optimized intervention strategies; and 4) Incorporation of computational, statistical, and mathematical models for surveillance and epidemiology.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• This position has a positive education requirement.
• Position requires financial disclosure.

Qualifications

Basic Experience Requirements:

Successful completion of all requirements for a Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree), in an accredited college or university, including acceptance of the dissertation, in an academic field of the health or pertinent sciences (i.e., biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, etc.) allied to health or health related research.

OR

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university, leading to a bachelor's or higher degree, with major study in an academic field of the health or pertinent sciences which have been applied and utilized by the applicant in health or health-related research and, in addition, at least 1 year of qualifying progressively responsible experience; or any equivalent combination of graduate study and research experience in these fields. This education and experience must demonstrate that the applicant has acquired the scientific knowledge, skills and abilities to apply and utilize them successfully in health or health-related research at a level which is the qualitative equivalent of that acquired in meeting all the requirements for the Ph.D. degree (or equivalent doctoral degree), including the dissertation as indicated above. The appropriate doctoral equivalency must be supported by publications in health or health-related research accomplishment in appropriate scientific journals; or other objective evidence in such form that it may be reviewed and evaluated.

AND

All applicants must have one year of independent research experience beyond the doctoral degree and one year of program administration. For qualification purposes, independent is defined as having planned, organized, and conducted biomedical, behavioral health, or health-related research. This experience must have provided the applicant with an understanding of the history, interests, internal dynamics, and relationships of organizations in which health research is conducted. This experience may have been gained as a principal investigator of a grant or contract, or may otherwise have been gained through active involvement in initiating research projects, developing protocols, conducting studies, documenting findings, interpreting results in a published report (journal), supervising staff, and managing the budget. Qualifying experience must have been performed for 1-year on a full-time basis. Part-time work will be prorated accordingly.

Additional requirements for Applicants to the GS-13 level:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements of one year of independent health research beyond the doctoral degree and one year of health research program administration experience, applicants must possess at least one year of professional experience in one of the following environments.

Academic Environment: management of significant independent research projects (analogous to an RO1 and R29 grant) and supervision of graduate researchers or technicians; publications in refereed journals, presenting published work to scientific organizations and teaching graduate level courses in biomedical/behavioral or health-related disciplines; served as a reviewer on peer-review panels or journals; held the position of Assistant or Associate Professor or equivalent

OR

Intramural Environment: responsible for multiple scientific projects, supervising graduate researchers or technicians; publications in refereed journals, presenting published work to scientific organizations and teaching graduate level course in biomedical/behavioral or health related disciplines; served as a reviewer on peer-review panels or journals; held the position of Research Scientist (permanent position), Section Chief, or equivalent.

OR

Private Sector (Profit/Nonprofit): evidence of increasing responsibility in research or administration within the company; held the position of Senior Research Scientist/Project Manager or equivalent.

OR

Extramural Environment:In order to qualify for the Health Science Administrator, GS-0601 position at the GS-13 level, you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: review the technical and scientific merit of applications and proposals received requesting grant or contract funds; provide advice in program planning, solicitation, and evaluation to perform day-to-day administrative functions related to research grants and interagency agreements supporting research projects in my scientific area; identify new basic, translational and clinical research concepts, projects and initiatives to appropriate advisory groups; and formulate and develop Program Announcements, RFAs, RFPs, or a combination of these, to achieve objectives.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11059389

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education .

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 .

• This position is designated as a " non-emergency/teleworker " position and the selected candidate will be considered a " non-emergency/teleworker " employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
• A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
• PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
• We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).
• The National Institutes of Health 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.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
• If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This information is required annually. For information, visit the NIH Ethics website: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/topics/fd.htm .
• This is a term appointment. This appointment is not permanent. If selected, your initial appointment may be any length of time between 13 months and 3-years. We may exercise the option of extending a term appointment up to the 3-year limit, but any extension is not guaranteed. Only the Office of Personnel Management may authorize a 1-year extension beyond the 4th year. After the expiration date of your appointment, you will be separated from service.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
• Visit our Total Compensation page for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application and responses to the online questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

• Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria
• Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria
• Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements

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. Applicants determined to be Best Qualified will be referred for further consideration. Preference eligibles in the Best Qualified category are referred before all other applicants.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) , you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS
RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder . If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

Job title

Name of employer

Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)

Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.

Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)

Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Jobs website , USAJOBS Resource Center , and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial .

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.

Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS
To claim veterans' preference, career transition selection priority, Schedule A or military spouse eligibility, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

• Veterans' preference (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation for 10 point claims. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you are claiming derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point claims, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.
• Visit our sites on Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) / Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) for more information and required documentation.
• Visit our site on the Appointment of Certain Military Spouses for more information and required documentation to verify eligibility.
• Schedule A Eligibility (Applicants with Disabilities) Applicants who are eligible to be considered under Schedule A must submit appropriate documentation to verify eligibility. Documentation must be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed. Veterans' preference takes precedence in these appointments.

The Schedule A and military spouse hiring authorities do not guarantee employment or give an individual preference in the hiring process.

If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible, or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

Do not submit documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.

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.