Job opening: Health Science Specialist
Salary: $82 830 - 107 680 per year
Published at: Aug 25 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This position performs professional database development, coordination, and technical management in a comprehensive research setting, providing day-to-day data management and site support for the VA Research Program. The VA Research Program strives to promote Veteran-centered care to improve patient experiences and outcomes across VA healthcare and community settings, and to advance value-driven care by providing Veterans the highest quality care at the lowest financial burden.
Duties
The Health Science Specialist - Research Database Manager is a specialist in data and clinical research information processing, providing research investigators and other staff a variety of service performing database development and management, data extraction and analysis, and overall program support. This work includes but not limited to:
Coordinates activities across multi-site studies and projects with a focus on data management and analysis and information processing
Directly involved in clinical service evaluation and research, quality of care assessment and data management, and utilizes a background that includes formal clinical, quality of care/health services, as well as data management education, with practical knowledge in computer sciences.
Serves as a local, regional, and national resource for database development, data extraction and data manipulation
Oversees and coordinates the data activities of the VA Research Investigators and leadership
The position will participate in local and national calls with a variety of programs to evaluate research, implementation and dissemination programs and will be solicited for input in determining which programs to continue, modify, or discontinue
Creates and uses large datasets to provide clear, unbiased written reports to research program directors, individual research investigators, and VHA management to be used for research evaluations, translational research, operational improvements, clinical improvements, or to establish policy
Utilizes analytic methods to create and manage project specific databases, optimized for quality of care and research reports for VHA and VA leadership and investigators that most efficiently display the findings of the analyses through clear and concise writing and graphics.
Uses statistical software programs (e.g., SAS, SPSS, STATA, Excel) and other methods to store, clean, validate and analyze data
Participates in writing funding proposals, manuscripts for publication, local and agency-wide reports and contributes as a subject matter expert in the preparation of grant proposals to funding agencies, scholarly manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, and presentation of study findings at local and national scientific meetings.
Work Schedule: M-F 8-4:30 or 7:30-4
Telework: 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.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Science Specialist/PD99758S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit Status: Yes
The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/07/2023.
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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.
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-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Clinical science and/or public health research experience interpreting the meaning of research data and recognizing errors and the possible causes of errors in datasets; Using statistical software packages such as SPSS, SAS, STATA to validate and analyze data; Performing technical and medical writing such as clinical protocol development and manuscript writing; Developing and maintaining intranet and internet websites; and Experience with and knowledge of computer hardware, database software, programming techniques to include, but not limited to SQL, SAS, HTML, and graphical data display. OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of completed graduate level education (Master's or equivalent graduate degree) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Analytical ThinkingDatabase AdministrationManages and Organizes InformationResearchTechnical Documentation
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: Typically, the position sits comfortably to do the work, works at a computer screen for long periods of time, and interacts with other sites via phone and email. Position needs to have good manual dexterity and eyesight.
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.
Contacts
- Address Fargo VA Medical Center
2101 Elm Street
Fargo, ND 58102
US
- Name: Meghan Brooks
- Phone: 515-699-5999 X23402
- Email: [email protected]
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