Health Science Specialist-Research

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado is seeking a Health Science Specialist to coordinate multiple health services and clinical research projects. The role requires managing recruitment, data collection, and regulatory compliance, ensuring studies progress on approved protocols and timelines.

The position emphasizes collaboration among investigators, research staff, and clinical partners, with telework possible on an ad-hoc basis and a full-time schedule.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in health sciences or related field with transcript.
• One year of specialized experience in health research coordination.
• Experience with recruitment, data collection, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders and sites.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Health Science Specialist for day-to-day coordination of health services and clinical research projects.
• Coordinate recruitment, data collection, and data-management across studies.
• Develop and monitor timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with protocols, regulatory requirements, and VA procedures.
• Facilitate communication among investigators, staff, partners, and sites.

Skills

Project management

Research coordination

Data collection & management

Regulatory compliance

Interviews of human subjects

Education

Bachelor's degree in health sciences or related field

Master's degree in related field

Tools

Project management software

Data reporting tools

Job description

Summary

The position is organizationally located within the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research - Education - and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System - Aurora - Colorado. The research mission of the Rocky MIRECC is to study suicide with the goal of reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors in the Veteran population. The position's major responsibilities are to provide research project management and coordination for multiple clinical health services.

Qualifications

Basic Education Requirement: Bachelor's 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) In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service - that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health Science Specialist - Research. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Performing a variety of tasks related to the conducting of the clinical/healthcare related research such as participant recruitment and enrollment - protocol execution - data reporting and management - and regulatory compliance; Screening and evaluating the recruitment of candidates for clinical research studies; Analyzing processes and documentation to ensure compliance with all technical - regulatory requirements - and information safety regulations; Utilizing software used for project management - data collection - and regulatory compliance to extract - organize - track - and analyze data - produce letters and memorandums - and prepare a variety of documents and presentations; and Conducting telephone and in-person interviews of human study subjects using various methods of data collection. ~OR~ EDUCATION: (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - successfully completed a Master's or equivalent graduate 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: (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - possess an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or 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. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume. 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 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 Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Duties

• ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** ***NOTE: Location is negotiable BUT the person will be required to report to their nearest VHA facility*** NOTE: This is a TERM appointment not-to-exceed 10/28/2030
• Term appointments are non-status - non-permanent appointments of limited duration (more than 1 year but not more than 4)
• Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance - within grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage
• Term appointments may be extended without further competition (up to the 4 year maximum)
• The appointment to a Term position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment
• Duties include - but may not be limited to the following: Serves as a Health Science Specialist responsible for the day-to-day coordination and management of multiple health services and clinical research projects
• Independently coordinates established research activities and applies knowledge of research methods - project requirements - and organizational procedures to ensure that projects progress in accordance with approved protocols - timelines - and program objectives
• Develops - maintains - and monitors project timelines - milestones - work plans - and deliverables across multiple concurrent studies
• Tracks project status
• Anticipates operational needs and brings significant concerns - scientific questions - or matters requiring higher-level authority to the appropriate investigator or supervisor
• Coordinates participant recruitment - data collection - and data-management processes
• Facilitates communication among investigators - research staff - analysts - clinical partners - participating sites - and other collaborators
• Develops and maintains project-management systems and study documentation necessary for consistent implementation and oversight of research activities
• Coordinates regulatory and administrative requirements for assigned research studies in accordance with applicable VA requirements - approved protocols - and established research procedures
• Monitors study activities for consistency with approved protocols and established research requirements
• Perform duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Full-Time
• Monday through Friday
• 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
• Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework
• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.