Health System Specialist (Research Compliance Officer) Job in Hines, IL

Vacancy No. HN-12759628-25-AM Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $99,069.00 to $128,795.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/9/2025 Close Date 7/18/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Hines, IL


Summary

This position is organizationally aligned to the Office of the Hospital Director at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital (578) - a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility. The primary purpose of this position is to develop, implement, maintain and provide leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of compliance and training activities for the Research Program.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

OPEN TO CURRENT PERMANENT VA EMPLOYEES ONLY

Duties

The Research Compliance Officer (RCO) evaluates compliance with Federal and VA requirements for the conduct of research, which may include requirements in one or more of the following areas:

  • the protection of human research subjects, laboratory animal welfare, and research safety and security.
  • Incumbent may also be assigned responsibilities related to facility programs for research information security, research privacy, conflict of interest in research, training of research personnel.
  • Research program accreditation, research misconduct, and/or other research compliance activities consistent with VHA requirements.
As a public agency, VHA has an obligation to preserve public trust in the integrity and quality of research carried out by its investigators, involving subjects in VA research, and in its facilities. Appropriate mechanisms must be in place to evaluate the functioning of the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and the safeguards in place to protect human research subjects in VA research. There must also be appropriately trained staff available at each VA facility conducting human subjects' research to audit each research project involving human subjects.

The RCO performs ongoing research monitoring and auditing in assigned areas of responsibility. These activities must be consistent with VHA research monitoring and auditing requirements and require the ability to conduct in-depth review and analysis of research, clinical, and training records relevant to the assigned areas of responsibility. Monitoring and auditing reports are timely. accurate, and complete; reports are provided to facility leadership and others in accordance with VHA requirements.

Effectively uses Research Service and research review committee information systems such as VAIRRS/IRBNet to complete audits. Uses audit worksheets and auditing tools for the informed consent audits and regulatory audits that incorporate national requirements and may include local requirements. Develops, uses, and maintains spreadsheets or other tools to track audits of facility research.

Evaluates results of audits and inspections, and forwards action items to the responsible individual and/or organization (e.g., FDA, ORO, OHRP, VA). Performs audits of research records related to human subject and animal subject protections. Maintains audit records as required for compliance and derives routine analyses of trends from those records.

The RCO will document all compliance audits, inspections, and management controls or activities as a record of review. Documentation includes reports of serious or continuing noncompliance findings lo research oversight committees, facility leadership and other oversight entities, as required by law and policy.

Through auditing identifies apparent systemic deficiencies that have a reasonable likelihood of substantially compromising the VA medical facility's research protection programs or information security processes and ensures prompt reporting to the relevant research review committees and ensures reporting of determined systemic deficiencies to ORO and applicable federal agencies.

The RCO ensures that relevant regulatory and policy updates in assigned areas of responsibility are disseminated to research administrators, research oversight committees, research investigators, research personnel, and facility leadership in a timely manner. Serves as the primary local resource for regulations, policies, memoranda, alerts, and Federal requirements in assigned areas of responsibility and works with research personnel to maintain current and open communication regarding research compliance issues.

Serves as subject matter expert to the MFD and the medical center's research leadership team and to all VA researchers to assure compliance with regulations related to human subjects involved in research.

The RCO is responsible for effective verbal and written communications with facility leadership, research review committees and staff and with research investigators to advise them on changes and updates in policy matters, process issues, and procedural requirements necessary for conducting audits, as well as externally with Program Office staff such as ORD and ORO. Drafts internal and external reports or other communications at the direction of the MFD.

Reviews Federal regulations and actively participates in implementing Federal regulations on Conflict of Interest. Reports any identified conflict of interest to the Financial Conflict of Interest official(s) and MFD as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
Telework: This position is not authorized for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Research Compliance Officer)/PD030540

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary/trial period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

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

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. 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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: You must have one of the following:
EDUCATION: Undergraduate or Graduate Education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR,
EXPERIENCE: 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
  • Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement
IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-12 GRADE REQUIREMENTS:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Research-related expert knowledge and experience in performing verifiable research auditing that utilizes accepted national and VA methods for auditing of research projects.
  • Expert knowledge of the major issues, program goals and objectives, work processes, VA policies and administrative operations of the organization.
  • Broad knowledge of quality improvement principles and methodologies used to evaluate programs and the quality of health care delivery.
  • Ability to make oral and written reports and presentations, graphically prepare and present statistics and other data, and develop conclusions, recommendations and actions based on analysis and evaluation in such form and manner that are most useful.
  • Knowledge of advance computer skills, including office software, intranet and internet communication networks (to be able to communicate quickly and efficiently for a variety of administrative purposes.)
  • Knowledge of techniques for leading employee groups to help them achieve new process, conflict resolution and team cohesion.
  • Ensuring R&D program is in compliance in the areas of credentialing, training, and education of investigators and research staff.
  • Collaborating with the Information Security Officer (ISO) and the Privacy Officer in matters related to protection of sensitive and non-sensitive information. Designing and implementing training programs.
  • Providing accurate information in an understandable manner when responding to questions/providing information to Management, Principal Investigators, study staff, clinicians, and others.
  • Working closely with other departments such the Office of Research Oversight (ORO) regarding review of Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) activities.
  • Analyzing and evaluating, on a quantitative or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs and operations. Serving as the primary liaison with outside entities concerning compliance issues in accordance with the "common Rule" (45 CFR 46) and other regulations and policies.
  • Reviewing Research Safety, Biosafety, rDNA Subcommittee Activities, and records (including databases and meeting minutes) to ensure compliance with national requirements. Performing ongoing research auditing in assigned areas of responsibility.
  • Coordination and oversight of a research compliance program; expert knowledge of research regulations related to human subjects, biosafety, and information security; conducts regular audits of the research program; verifies all research is approved prior to commencement of research project; ensures compliance with necessary programs, policies, and procedures; identifies, reports, and corrects problems related to the ethical conduct of research.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Administration and Management
  • Communications
  • Program Management


Preferred Experience: Prefer individual with experience evaluating compliance with Federal and VA requirements for the conduct of research, which may include requirements in one or more of the following areas: the protection of human research subjects, laboratory animal welfare, and research safety and security.

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: Work is mainly sedentary. Traveling off station to other sites of care or various meetings is necessary and working overtime and odd hours, to include weekends may be necessary. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, such as instructional material, manuals, papers, and books.

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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your basic qualifications on education.

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

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
  • Cover Letter
  • Other (1)
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing 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
  • Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
  • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal permanent agency employees.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/18/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12759628.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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 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/.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Agency contact information

Amy McCrary
Address
Edward Hines Junior Hospital
5000 South 5th Avenue
Hines, IL 60141
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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