Secretary (OA)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Salem (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Salem VA Medical Center seeks a Secretary (OA) to support the ACOS/R and AO for Research & Development. The role involves clerical and administrative duties, maintaining resources, and ensuring clear communications to meet program objectives.

The position requires timekeeping, attendance, committee- and HR-related tasks within a federal environment. Telework is not available; standard hours apply Monday–Friday.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade - GS-06.
• Clerical and administrative duties in a large organization or medical center setting.
• Experience with MS Word, Excel, Outlook Email/Calendar and meeting minutes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Timekeeper for the Research & Development Service.
• Manage time and attendance reporting as directed.
• Act as TMS Administrator to ensure staff training compliance.
• Coordinate ADPAC responsibilities for the R&D Service.
• Maintain VISTA menus accurately for each employee.
• Manage ACOS/R&D and AO calendars and leave schedules.
• Process work orders, space requests, and IT requests as applicable.
• Support IRB, SRS, and R&D Committee Coordinators with rosters and letters.
• Assist with HR documentation, evaluations, and competencies.
• Oversee access, scheduling, and keys for Research Service space.

Skills

Timekeeping

Time and attendance reporting

Meeting minutes

Microsoft Word

Excel

Outlook Email/Calendar

Committee experience

Records management

Tools

Talent Management System (TMS)

Keystone Database

VISTA menus

Job description

Summary Come Join Our Team! The Secretary (OA) will assist the Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development (ACOS/R) and the Administrative Officer (AO) for Research & Development Service - committees - and subsections in performing a variety of clerical and administrative duties and maintaining clear lines of communication to optimize utilization of resources and meet program objectives. This position is located within the Dept of VA - Veterans Health Administration - Salem VA Medical Center.

Summary Come Join Our Team! The Secretary (OA) will assist the Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development (ACOS/R) and the Administrative Officer (AO) for Research & Development Service - committees - and subsections in performing a variety of clerical and administrative duties and maintaining clear lines of communication to optimize utilization of resources and meet program objectives. This position is located within the Dept of VA - Veterans Health Administration - Salem VA Medical Center.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/21/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. NOTE: Your resume must include job title - duties listed for each position - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade - GS-06 - in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as clerical and administrative experience related to secretarial support for a large organization and/or in a large medical center setting. Examples may include but are not limited to: organize the work of an office and perform clerical and administrative duties; computer software and database experience such as Microsoft Word - Excel - Outlook Email/Calendar; meeting minutes/note taking - committee experience; use of automated office equipment typical to an office setting such as: computer equipment - printer/scanner/copier/fax machines - telephones - and document management systems. Please note: Your resume must support your response. 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/. Preferred Experience: VA and/or Research experience.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as designated Timekeeper for the R&D Service
• Responsible for time and attendance reporting - as directed
• Serves as Talent Management System (TMS) Administrator - ensuring compliance with the training requirements for all Research VA staff - WOC/IPAs - and Committee members
• Serves as Primary ADPAC (Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator) for the R&D Service
• Assures that VISTA key menus are accurate and appropriate for each employee by completing annual report
• Manages individual calendars for ACOS/R&D and AO
• Manages Administrative Team Leave Calendar for the R&D Administrative Staff
• Submits work orders - space requests - IT requests etc. - for Research Service and other research personnel - as applicable
• Works with IRB - SRS - and R&D Committee Coordinators to maintain regulatory committee rosters and appointment letters
• Assists AO with initial preparation and execution of ongoing HR documentation - including but not limited to: Performance Evaluations - Competencies preparation and records
• Research WOC/IPAs initiations/submissions/modifications/extensions/and routing for signatures
• Oversees access - scheduling - and upkeep in common areas within the Research Service Space
• Includes determining and ordering keys needed - cores that need to be changed - tracking of keys signed in and out and which key numbers open which doors
• Ensures Keystone Database is updated with all key transactions
• Back-up Records Liaison for the R&D Service
• Ensuring all research records (hard copy and electronic) are kept within the Records Control Schedule
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:45am-4:30pm or 8:0am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD022660 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of time working and keyboarding at a computer workstation
• It may involve some walking - standing - bending - or carrying of light items.