Health Science Specialist

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-9 grade level you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance availability of higher-level work and availability of funds.

Duties include but may not be limited to the following:

• Coordinates the general administration planning and oversight of management of the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP).
• Ensures implementation and maintains records of the comprehensive facilitys education program offering training on compliance for the research community principal investigators/researchers clinical research coordinators and other staff.
• Serves as point of contact for internal and external research integrity inquiries or complaints pertaining to human subjects research.
• Prepares policies for complex programs pertinent to human subject research protections.
• Provides technical expertise to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) administrative staff and members.
• Drafts correspondence to researchers to provide expert advice on policy matters process issues and procedural problems.
• Coordinates development of policies procedures and criteria for administration of the organizations human subjects research program.
• Assists investigators and research staff in preparation of intricate reports and in the implementation of procedures within individual specific projects.
• Conducts the screening advisory and approval processes for the organizations human subjects research program and coordinates the evaluation review for approved projects.
• Monitors project process for content and procedural conformance within approved proposals.
• Coordinates establishment of program goals and objectives and identifies results indicative of successful program accomplishments.
• Conducts program assessments and prepares reports necessary for program continuity and reporting.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See Required Documents below for details.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Basic Education Requirement: Bachelors or graduate/higher level 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. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (external link) at the time the degree was obtained. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)

To qualify at the GS9 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE-GS9: In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. To be creditable this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: managing a human research protection program; ensuring regulatory compliance with program requirements; providing technical expertise to the Institutional Review Board as it pertains to human subjects; evaluating research projects and activities; and maintaining records and preparing reports.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE-GS9 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Successful completion of two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree or masters or equivalent graduate degree a major in an appropriate field (as described above) which provided the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position to substitute for the one year of experience and meets in full the requirements at the GS-9 level.
OR
COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE-GS9 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.

To qualify at the GS11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE-GS11 - In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge skill and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: managing a human research protection program; ensuring regulatory compliance with program requirements; providing technical expertise to the Institutional Review Board as it pertains to human subjects; evaluating research projects and activities; maintaining records and preparing reports; and developing and implementing policies pertaining to human subjects.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE-GS11 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree with a major in an appropriate field (as described above) which provided the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position to substitute for the one year of experience and meets in full the requirements at the GS-11 level.
OR
COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE-GS11 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.

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: carrying of light items such as project/regulatory binders meeting agendas instructional material books and manuals. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.


For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at

Required Experience:

IC