Duties

Summary

If you are a motivated individual with experience in clinical research trials, educating and counseling patients, protocol development, implementation and evaluation activities AND you want to play a significant role in a dynamic organization, then consider joining The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Nurse (Research Specialist) your duties will include but, are not limited to the following:

• Perform clinical trials duties in accordance with standards of nursing practice and the Code of Ethics and maintain awareness of what constitutes falsification of data or other research misconduct.
• Coordinate and implement clinical research protocols.
• Educate and counsel patients participating in clinical trials.
• Work closely with a diverse team of health care providers to provide patient care and conduct clinical research.
• Facilitate patient recruitment and enrollment into on-going clinical trials.
• Ensure compliance with protocol and regulatory requirements.
• Manage clinical research data and provide data quality assurance.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

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.
• Position has an active professional nursing license requirement.
• Position has a pre-employment medical examination requirement.
• Position requires passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
• Position has an education requirement.
• Position has medical surveillance or immunization requirements.

Qualifications

In order to meet the Basic Qualification Requirements for a Nurse (Research Specialist), GS-0610, you must:

• Have a graduate or higher-level degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program. Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools. AND
• You must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). AND
• You must have a current, active, full and unrestricted license, or registration as a professional nurse from a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. AND

In addition to the basic education and licensure requirements,in order to qualify for the Nurse Specialist (Research) position, you must have at least one (1) year of qualifying specialized experience for the grade levels below:

To qualify for the GS-11 grade level:
In addition to the education and license requirement, you must:

• Have completed a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree, from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; OR
• You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) yearof qualifying specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Government obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: providing specialized knowledge on research protocols in a clinical research environment; utilizing advanced critical nursing skills in coordinating care for individuals who are participants in a clinical trials research program; providing ongoing education and counseling to patient and family on all aspects regarding protocol partici­pation; interpreting clinical test results; maintaining an automated database management system to collect, organize and report information on clinical trials; overseeing all phases of data management to include data collection, entry, validation, reporting and analysis; and managing required evaluation to confirm study eligibility and baseline measurements of all parameters to be evaluated on the study.

To qualify for the GS-12 grade level:

• In addition to the education and license requirement, you must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Government obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: providing specialized knowledge on research protocols in a clinical research environment; serving as a leader in providing ongoing education and counseling to clinical staff on patient care units related to all aspects of the protocol; overseeing all phases of data management to include data collection, entry, validation, reporting and analysis; researching trends and science to develop new approaches to patient care; providing patient and family counseling, health education, and serving as a patient advocate; and managing required evaluation to confirm study eligibility and baseline measurements of all parameters to be evaluated on the study.

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/11119141

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• If selected, you must pass a pre-employment medical examination, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable diseases.
• 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 .
• At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities : [telework].

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines . Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.

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 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
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

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 Builde r. 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 CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):

• CTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/CTAP.htm
• ICTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/ictap.htm

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.

Please do not submit any other supplementary 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.