Program Specialist (Controlled Substance Coordinator)

Veterans Health Administration; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration's Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston seeks a Controlled Substance Coordinator to lead the inspection program and ensure compliance with federal and VHA directives.

Responsibilities include coordinating inspections, training staff, auditing data, and communicating with inspectors and hospital leadership while leveraging VHA EHR systems and Pyxis to support accurate control of medications.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in controlled substance inspections and program coordination.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and data reporting tools.
• Experience training staff on controlled substance inspection processes.
• Ability to audit data and prepare detailed reports for leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the controlled substance inspection program for the facility.
• Train and educate staff on inspection processes and compliance.
• Audit inspection data and prepare detailed reports for stakeholders.
• Communicate with inspectors and hospital leadership regarding program status.

Skills

Controlled Substance Inspections

Microsoft Office

Staff Training

Data Auditing

Policy Communication

Coordination & Scheduling

Policy Compliance

VHA EHR / Pyxis

Education

PhD or equivalent doctoral degree

3 years of graduate education

Tools

BD Pyxis

VHA EHR Systems

Job description

This position reports directly to the Administrative Officer, Office of Quality and Patient Safety of the Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC), a complexity 1A facility. This position serves as the Medical Center's Controlled Substance Coordinator (CSC), providing direct management and coordination of all activities of the Controlled Substance Coordinator Inspection Program ensuring that the facility meets the mandated requirements of the program.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 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. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Time-In-Grade Requirement

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/31/2026. 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-9. 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.

Specialized Experience

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Experience conducting or supporting Controlled Substance Inspections.
• Experience utilizing Microsoft Office programs and other computer software, including Excel, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe.
• Experience training and educating staff on controlled substance inspection programs and processes.
• Experience auditing and analyzing data received from inspectors and preparing detailed reports.
• Experience communicating with inspectors and hospital leadership regarding controlled substance programs.
• Experience scheduling and coordinating activities with individuals in a non-supervisory role.
• Experience reviewing VHA directives and local policies and procedures to ensure program compliance.
• Experience utilizing VHA Electronic Health Record systems and BD Pyxis.

Education

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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.

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.

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/.