Duties

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

As a Health Scientist Administrator - Director of the Technology Assessment Program, you are responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating technology assessment activities.

Specifically, you will:

• Plan, organize, and manage a comprehensive national program of technology assessment activities, including overseeing the work of the Evidence-based Practice Centers' preparation of technology assessments.
• Evaluate completed technology assessments for methodologies used and quality of data used in their development, as well as any clinical, policy, and scientific implications resulting from assessments.
• Serve as a senior AHRQ liaison to CMS on technology assessment issues and activities conducted or supported by AHRQ.
• Direct the preparation of reports and papers documenting important new developments in the field.
• Represent the Agency on national and international committees, panels, and bodies as the principal federal authority on technology assessments.
• Serve as Agency spokesperson on issues related to technology assessment.
• Serve as principal advisor to the EPC Division Director, CEPI Director and AHRQ Director on all matters related to technology assessment.

NOTE: Do not cut 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.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U. S. Citizenship is required.
• All qualification requirements and time-in-grade must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Federal applicants must submit an SF-50 to show status and time-in-grade.
• Males ages 18 through 25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of the pre-appointment process (i.e., background investigation, verification of qualifications and job requirements, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, etc.)
• PHS Commissioned Corps applicants must submit current personnel orders.
• This position has an education requirement - transcripts are required.
• A one year probationary period may be required.
• Position is not in the Bargaining Unit.
• Drug Screening is not required.
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized.
• Student loan repayment incentive is not authorized.
• THIS POSITION IS SUBJECT TO THE COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATE AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT. REFER TO THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS MANDATE.

Qualifications

THESE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE: 01/03/2022

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

OPM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

You must have a Bachelor's or graduate degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position being advertised. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

You must provide a copy of your unofficial transcripts that verify that you meet this education requirement by the closing date of this announcement. A copy of a diploma is not acceptable as verification.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS are defined as qualifications that an applicant must possess, at a minimum, to be eligible to participate in an assessment for hire or promotion under the competitive system, e.g., education, experience, and/or other requirements (e.g., licensure). Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position receive no further consideration.

In addition to the OPM Education requirements, to qualify for this position at the GS-15 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year of the minimum qualifying experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-14 level in the federal service.

Examples of the minimum qualifying experience equal to the GS-14 level include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis:

• Assessing the impact of healthcare technologies (e.g. pharmaceuticals, clinical practices, devices, laboratory tests, etc.) on health, and the quality, safety and costs of health care delivery; OR
• Developing research tools, concepts, projects and initiatives to enhance methods of assessing healthcare technologies.

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.

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

CLINICAL TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT - Knowledge of and experience assessing the clinical utility of medical interventions based on systematic review of the literature using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - Knowledge of the scientific principles, methodology, and processes used to conduct systematic and objective inquiry including study design collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, and the reporting of results. SCIENTIFIC WRITING - Prepares written documentation to transfer scientific information about concepts, situations, products, services, or results to audiences with varying levels of scientific knowledge.

TO PREVIEW THE OCCUPATIONAL ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE, please click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11287499

Current status candidates must provide an SF50 that allows HR to verify that they meet Time-in-Grade (TIG) requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Please Note: An SF50 for the current year pay adjustment is NOT acceptable for verifying TIG (ex. 2021 general increases cannot be used to verify TIG).

To allow us to verify that you meet TIG requirements, please provide any of the following SF-50s:

Competitive or Career-ladder promotion to your highest grade (this does NOT include 120 day temporary promotions ) Regular Within Range Increase (WRI) or With In Grade (WGI) increase at your highest grade (this does not include quality step increases (QSIs). Competitive career/career-conditional appointment to your highest grade.
• SF-50 at your highest grade held, that is at least one year older than the announcement closing date of 01/03/2022.

Not sure which SF-50 to submit? Check out our video... Go here to watch the video on the SF50s to submit in your application package .

Education

This position has an education requirement. 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 requirement. 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

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS POSITION IS SUBJECT TO THE COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATE AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

Vaccination Mandate :

In accordance with Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to exceptions that may be required by law. If selected, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before your entrance on duty if you are selected after the compliance date. Your HR Consultant will provide a list of documents acceptable as proof of vaccination and instructions for how to submit a request for a legally required exception, if needed, to comply with vaccination requirement.

Expanded/Maximum telework Posture :

Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in a maximum telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to telework upon your appointment. As employees are permitted to return to the office, you may be required to report to the duty station listed on this announcement, even if your home/temporary telework site is located outside the local commuting area. Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the HHS Workplace Flexibilities policy.

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.

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 .