This position reports directly to the Chief Enterprise Risk Management Officer (CERMO) located within the Director's Suite. The Research program is the largest in the VISN with 1-A level complexity and a large and active study case-load. The VA Ann Arbor Research Compliance Officer supports the research activities of over 150 research investigators located in Ann Arbor, and Battle Creek.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/15/2025. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your most recent personnel action/SF-50. 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. Interchange Agreement: Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/.You may qualify based on your experience as described below: You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements: 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: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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. Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. Preferred experience (not required): Experience with Research and knowledge of the consent process. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Auditing Compliance Inspection Education and Training Leadership Planning and Evaluating 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: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, and reaching overhead. The employee must be able to occasionally lift and/or move 45 pounds or more short distances. 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/.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Guidelines and Compliance: Provides leadership, expertise, and strategic direction for the facility's Research Compliance Program - responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance oversight activities in assigned areas of responsibility through policy development (national and local), local quality improvement activities, education and training of VA Ann Arbor Health Care System staff (assigned areas of responsibility are dependent upon the needs of VA Ann Arbor Health Care System and its research programs in meeting VHA auditing, monitoring, and related research protection, and oversight requirements). Assists oversight bodies such as the VA Office of Research Oversight in policy and research compliance development through national committee or workgroup service such as the Field Advisory Committee. Audits and Analysis: Applies expert knowledge of methods, approaches and procedures to strengthen performance in research auditing in assigned areas of responsibility and ensures that these activities are consistent with VHA research auditing requirements (e.g., annual informed consent audits of all active studies are properly obtained, documented and current). Conducts audits of individual research studies, and develops new methods, approaches, and procedures to develop the VA research compliance program and to foster a culture of research responsibility, compliance, and ethical behavior, whether or not research is being conducted. Directs other performance improvement activities to promote compliance, reduce violations of regulations and standards, identify unsatisfactory trends and conditions, and correct factors that may contribute to noncompliance. Conducts in-depth review and analysis of research, clinical, and training records and provides timely, accurate, and complete documentation to facility leadership and others in accordance with VHA and Federal reporting requirements. Administration: Identifies and trains VA Ann Arbor Health Care System staff in specific areas to ensure all are updated on current policies, guidelines and regulations across the various Federal agencies and oversight bodies related to the conduct of research at the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System. In coordination with the Assistant Chief of Staff Research and Development (ACOS/R&D), the Learning Organization, and Informatics - designing education programs that include both live presentations and interactive, computer-based learning modules covering education in ethics and performance of research that covers clinical human to preclinical research and biosafety. Responsible for research information security, privacy and conflict of interest, research program accreditation, research misconduct, and other research compliance activity training to ensure programs remain compliant with requirements. Strategic Planning and Research Review: Participates in VA Ann Arbor Health Care System facility wide strategic planning related to compliance activities for the growth of the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System including facility wide planning, Research Service and NPC planning as well as participation in national compliance development planning. Serves as a champion for patient access to care, quality care, and employee satisfaction during facility strategic planning. Leads significant facility wide initiatives based on the strategic plan through completion. Reviews related research projects in an increasingly complex research environment with activities that span bench to preclinical and clinical research activities with investigational drugs and devices, unique biohazards including radiation and chemical use, and veteran health information through participation on the Data Security Board and research COI documents for the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Compressed tour is available Compressed/Flexible: Yes Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Specialist- Compliance Officer/PD940700 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized