Duties

Summary

This position serves as Administrative Officer (AO) for the Research and Development (R&D) Service, located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Mid Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Salem VA Health Care System (Salem VAHSC). The primary duties are to administratively supervise all non-medical R&D staff; to organize and make decisions pertaining to all Service operations; administrative, budgeting, grants proposal submission and management of the Research & Development Service etc.
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Responsibilities

Provides essential administrative support to research physicians and scientists and coordinates the activities of the R&D program with the appropriate services internal to the Salem VAHCS and with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and other regulatory committees as needed.

Provides the ACOS/R&D with complete information and specific recommendations concerning all administrative aspects of the R&D Program, requiring the use of sound and proper management concepts and determinations.

Plans and manages the budget for research; coordinates complex and diverse programs; gathers information about current needs and future requirements; analyzes current practices and problems and makes specific recommendations for improvements

Prepares and revises long range plans for personnel, equipment, space renovation and new construction; and may be assigned to special detailed studies or projects undertaken by VACO and VISN.

Provides oversight to the PSA to finalize the meeting agenda and makes recommendations and provides background information relevant to the items on the agenda.

Assists ACOS/R with such regular reports as the Executive Leadership Management Briefing, labor mapping, and timekeeping/leave monitoring.

Assists with presenting the status of the Service to hospital leadership and coordinating meetings with investigators, Committee Chairs and hospital leadership to discuss future plans and to strategize short- and long-term goals for the Service.

Oversees all official correspondence for the R&D Committee and the various subcommittees (IRB, IACUC, and Subcommittee for Research Safety) when required.

Advises investigators on VACO and local policies, on strategies for improving a proposal's likelihood of receiving funding and works with investigators to develop project budgets.

Responsible for the electronic submission, through grants.gov, for federal proposals, and oversees all grant supported activities to assure appropriate allowable costs under grants to Federal institutions per established policies of the institution.

Manages the efficient use of travel funds, balancing conflicting demands for limited resources, and making special requests to VACO for funding when appropriate.

Provides oversight and works with the Research Program Support Analyst to compile information and prepare reports, including the Annual Report of Research Activities.

Oversees the completion of reports for ePromise and the Research and Development Information System (RDIS) and filing to the Research and Development Computer Center.

Serves as the budget officer with responsibility for the administrative and technical processes of budget planning formulation, execution, and analysis.

Responsible for all aspects of the R&D Program's fiscal management and coordinates with the Fiscal Service in all matters related to the allocation and expenditure of Program 821 (CC101, MTA and Basic Laboratory R&D), Program 822 (Rehabilitation R&D), Program 824 (Health Services R&D), QUERI and Rural Health and Program 825 (Clinical Science R&D) research funds.

Coordinates with investigators and the Research and Development Committee on the status of funds, makes forecast projections, recommendations, and expenditure analyses in relationship to the operational plan.

Oversees the daily operation of the Service, ensures that agency policies and priorities are being followed; develops performance standards; and evaluates work performance of subordinates.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 7:45am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday
Telework: AD HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD022650
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
11

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/20/2021.

MOST CURRENT SF-50 (YEAR 2021) MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL DISQUALIFY YOU FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Experience working at a VAMC in Research; must be proficient in MS Office Software, including Outlook and scheduling.

NOTE: WORK PERFORMED MUST BE WELL DOCUMENTED AND DETAILED IN YOUR RESUME. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL DISQUALIFY YOU FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of principles of Research and Development (R&D) grant management, both pre- and post-award; research budget; research proposals; develop project budgets; experience recruiting, hiring, counseling, conflict resolution, disciplinary action, motivation, and separation; experience working with Human Resources; knowledge regarding regulations governing use of human subjects, animal subjects, radioisotopes, chemical hazards, biohazards, waste disposal and other safety matters in medical research; provide oversight and support to programs, projects, or studies based on on-going project evaluations; knowledge of related guidelines, research coordination projects, and new developments in the field; experience planning, developing, administering, and evaluating the programs' goals and objectives; resolving common problems; monitoring project and proposal evaluations, and providing education and advice in accordance with established criteria, goals, and objectives; Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work; Evaluates work performance of subordinates.

OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree? Copies of unofficial transcripts must be submitted with application package.

OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond two (2) years above a Master's degree. Copies of unofficial transcripts must be submitted with application package.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Financial Management
• Human Resources Management
• Information Management
• Leadership
• Organizational Awareness

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 primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

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

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

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

VA 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. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Receiving Service Credit or 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. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/ .

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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

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

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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 .

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

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

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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 make sure you have included other 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 claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

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 Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference .

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.