Physician Assistant - Clinical Leader Occupational Health Section Job in Pittsburgh, PA

Vacancy No. CBSZ-12688778-25-CA Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $154,378.00 to $205,319.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/18/2025 Close Date 2/24/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Pittsburgh, PA


Summary

The incumbent will serve as a PA (Clinical Leader/Administrative Leader) in the Occupational Health Section at VA Pittsburgh Medical Center, University Drive and H.J. Heinz Campuses. Emphasis will be placed on supervising Occupational Health providers, strategic planning and managing of integrated programs concerning individual worker's health and their specific workplace environment, which cross service lines and influence organizational mission and healthcare delivery.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current permanent employees of the VA/CBOC Pittsburgh.

Duties

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • First-line supervision of all Occupational Health providers to include administrative oversight of scheduling, time and leave approvals, performance appraisals, ongoing professional practice evaluations and discipline.
  • Design and manage a budget and conduct cost-benefit analysis.
  • Develop and recommend new or revised policies to meet key annual metrics, including medically clearing new hire candidates and employees, managing employee infection prevention quarantine and surveillance programs, managing injury recovery programs, and administering vaccination programs.
  • Oversee and administer occupationally related vaccination programs.
  • Identify hazards and implement efficient interventions
  • Reviewing clinical and performance data, analyzing processes.
  • Collaborating with Infection Prevention, Industrial Hygiene, Safety, Human Resources, to ensure compliance with relevant programmatic requirements including audits & workplace evaluations.
  • Participate in performance improvements and sustainment activities to optimize team efficiency and care delivery to workers.
  • Engage & educate workers in using preventive services, Employee Assistance Program, and Workers Compensation services.
  • Provide education on a variety of occupational health, whole health & wellness, and disease prevention and management topics.
  • Incorporating standard of care, clinical practice guidelines, and other relevant program updates into EOH services.
  • Performing periodic worker examinations as specified by job category requirements.
  • Ordering and following up on appropriate diagnostic tests, including reviewing and interpreting laboratory tests.
  • Complete and/or coordinate physical examinations for VAPHS applicants including transfers and courtesy physical examinations for other VA facilities.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:pm
Compressed/Flexible: not authorized
Telework: not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
  • 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.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • 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.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
  • 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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Physician Assistant Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • Education: Graduate of a training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of PA (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Additionally, candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Master's degree in any discipline OR (2) Bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a PA.
  • Certification: Must have successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE)
  • Licensure: PA's must possess an active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. PA's must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active and current licensure in that State.
  • English Language Proficiency: PAs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)..
Grade Determination PA-IV: PA (Clinical Leader/Administrative Leader). PAs at the PA-IV grade level may serve as clinical leader or administrative leader. Clinical PA Leaders may be assigned to positions/studies where limited guidance exists as physician oversight is not required. Administrative PA Leaders are involved with strategic planning and administrative/managerial responsibilities for integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. A PA clinical leader/administrative leader may monitor or evaluate services or programs with interaction of senior administration.

Experience: PA clinical leaders/administrative leaders require five years of experience which included leadership assignments that involved formulating program objectives and priorities, implementing plans and practices, and interpreting regulatory and organizational guidance to develop and implement policies and/or procedures.

Demonstrate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-IV:
a. Ability to assess information and make recommendations that may significantly affect the content, interpretation, or development of programs concerning critical matters or key issues within the health care system.
b. Ability to schedule and supervise staff, students, or ancillary personnel, to include conducting performance evaluations.
c. Skill in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling an integrated program.
d. Skill in design, management of budget, and cost benefit analysis to ensure optimal stewardship of resources.
e. Ability to analyze complex medical care, organizational processes and/or systems, and develop and implement solutions that improve outcomes at the program or service level.
f. Ability to develop and recommend new or revised policies or procedures to justify program goals and motivate assigned personnel.

Preferred Experience: Experience with Occupational Health

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See OF-178 for Physician Assistants and VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status..

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.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.

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.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

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

Required Documents:
* Resume - should include two references
* Most recent SF-50 showing grade, step, salary and tenure

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • Cover Letter
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


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 full 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 02/24/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12688778.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS 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.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

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

Christene Ammoscato
Address
Pittsburgh VA Medical Center
1010 Delafield Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15215
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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