Program Specialist

Veterans Health Administration; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration's San Francisco VA Health Care System is seeking a Program Specialist to support the Research and Development Service's operations.

The role focuses on equipment inventory, monitoring of remote freezers and vivarium systems, space data and access control, and training oversight for research staff, ensuring compliance and efficient operation.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in administrative procedures within research operations.
• Maintaining documentation and preparing reports for research operations.
• Experience in equipment inventory and environmental monitoring/tracking systems.
• Education options include Ph.D. or 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education; transcripts required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee equipment inventory and maintenance within the research service.
• Monitor remote freezer and vivarium systems to ensure proper operations.
• Manage space data, access control, and related systems.
• Provide training oversight for research staff to ensure compliance.

Skills

Equipment inventory management

Documentation & reporting

Research operations knowledge

Time management

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

3 years graduate education

LL.M. if related

Job description

This position is located in the Research and Development (R&D) Service at the San Francisco VA Health Care System. The incumbent is responsible for several key administrative and technical programs that directly support the operation and compliance of the research service. The work covers equipment inventory, remote freezer and vivarium monitoring, space data and access control, and training oversight for research staff.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/01/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. Provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, “Notification of Personnel Action” to indicate your current federal status. You must also submit additional SF-50(s) to clearly demonstrate one year time-in-grade as required in the announcement. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year time-in-grade. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. 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.

Selective Placement Factor: This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and; and essential for satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience in administrative concepts and practices in Research Operations.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least 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 Program Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience is: experience of administrative procedures, including maintaining documentation and preparing reports in research operations, managing equipment inventory, and environmental monitoring/tracking systems. ~OR~ Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. NOTE: One (1) 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.