Health System Specialist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The VA Research and Development Service seeks a Program Manager to oversee research regulatory programs and committees, ensuring the integrity and compliance of human subjects research activities.

The role involves interpreting regulations, guiding staff on policies, and coordinating regulatory processes to support compliant research across VA facilities.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate and graduate education in hospital or public health administration or related fields.
• Specialized experience in health care administration with advisory/directional authority.
• Graduate education combinations accepted for GS-11; must be substantiated in resume.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and administer research regulatory programs and committees.
• Ensure integrity, compliance, and proper administration of human subjects research.

Job description

This position serves as a Program Manager and subject matter expert within the VA Research and Development Service, providing comprehensive oversight and administration of research regulatory programs and committees. The primary focus of the position is to ensure the integrity, compliance, and effective administration of VA research activities involving human subjects. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/15/2026.

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

The Individual Occupational Requirement required for the 0671 Occupational Series is as follows:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

OR

Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following:

• Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems;
• Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and
• Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

AND SPECIALIZE EXPERIENCE

GS-09 Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Reviewing research activities for compliance; analyzing research program issues and recommending solutions; reviewing research protocols or documentation for regulatory requirements; providing guidance to research staff on established policies and procedures; and supporting regulatory or compliance activities involving human subjects.

OR

Education: Successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, LL.B or J.D in a related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). 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.

OR

Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) 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 (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration). This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Note: MUST be substantiated in your resume or transcripts. Failure to provide the required information will render your application ineligible for consideration.

GS-11 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, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health System Specialist - Research Committee Manager and provided you with knowledge of the full scope of activities required to conduct single and multisite research in the areas of human subject protection policy compliance. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following: (a) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (b) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; (c) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel and procurement; and knowledge of cognitive engineering, human factors engineering, human-computer interaction, or related fields.

OR

Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D., equivalent doctoral degree, three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, Or LL.M in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university.

OR

Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet 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 (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). Note: MUST be substantiated in your resume or transcripts. Failure to provide the required information will render your application ineligible for consideration.