Summary This position serves as a Facility Research Compliance Officer (RCO) for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System; this position is organizationally part of the Facility Directors Office and reports directly to the Facility Director. The RCO evaluates compliance with federal and VA requirements. Responsibilities Major duties include, but not limited to: Provide leadership, expertise, and strategic direction for the facility's research compliance program, developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance oversight activities Perform non-financial audits of program and administrative records Support program compliance via consultative efforts involving the broad range of human subject's protection Communicate verbally and in writing with researchers to advise them on policy matters, process issues, and procedural requirements for conducting research involving humans Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the facility Information Security Officer (ISO) and other individuals relevant to the assigned areas of responsibility Monitor changes in regulations and in the regulatory environment Perform Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) oversight Develop, implement, maintain, and provide leadership, education and training, strategic direction and oversight of compliance and assurance activities Provide guidance and counsel on mechanisms for incorporation of compliance-related activities Make recommendations for policy changes and Improvement for research regulations and guidelines to affect programs at both local and national levels Oversee the education and training program for research investigative staff and employees regarding compliance related activities Monitoring and auditing reports are timely, accurate, and complete and are provided to facility leadership and others by the RCO in accordance with VHA requirements Encompass five (5) major areas of regulatory compliance relevant to the VA Research and Development Program: These areas are (1) Protection of Human Subjects Involved in Research; (2) Protection of Animal Subjects in Research; (3) Laboratory Safety (including biosafety); {4) Conflict of Interest; and (5) Research Misconduct Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:00AM-4:00PM or 7:30AM-4:30PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Telework: Situational (ad hoc) telework. With supervisory approval on an occasional, non-routine basis. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Research Compliance Officer)/PD080410 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/06/2024. 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-011 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. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the federal service, that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in and/or related to the position being filled. Specialized experience includes but not limited to the following; Provide leadership, expertise, and strategic direction for the facility's research compliance program, developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance oversight activities, perform non-financial audits of program and administrative records, support program compliance via consultative efforts involving the broad range of human subject's protection, monitor changes in regulations and in the regulatory environment, perform Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) oversight, developing, implementing, maintaining, and providing leadership, education and training, strategic direction and oversight of compliance and assurance activities, provides guidance and counsel on mechanisms for incorporation of compliance-related activities, make recommendations for policy changes and Improvement for research regulations and guidelines to affect programs at both local and national levels, encompass five (5) major areas of regulatory compliance relevant to the VA Research and Development Program. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. if related to the work of this position. (Transcripts must be submitted). . OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Manages and Organizes Information Oral Communication Reasoning Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A 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. Physical Requirements: Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.