Health System Specialist - Research Compliance Officer

Job Details

Qualifications & Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/18/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement: 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 Specialized experience includes what is states above as well as below. 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 next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience includes what is stated in the above Individual Occupational Requirement, as well as: Applying federal research regulations and institutional policies in areas such as human subjects protection, animal research oversight, laboratory safety, privacy/security, conflicts of interest, and research misconduct, ensuring regulatory compliance and program integrity; Conducting audits, monitoring, inspections, investigations, or quality assurance reviews within research, healthcare, regulatory, or scientific programs, and documenting findings for leadership; Performing compliance analyses to identify risks, deficiencies, or system vulnerabilities, and recommending corrective actions, process improvements, or internal control enhancements; and Providing compliance guidance, training, technical assistance, and policy interpretation to researchers, staff, committees, or program stakeholders to support regulatory adherence and operational effectiveness. 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, three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university. 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 graduate level education (beyond a master's degree or beyond 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. My education portion includes graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). OR, 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. (Documentation supporting training must be provided) Preferred Experience: Compliance, Auditing, Compliance Inspection, and Information Technology Research and Development. 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/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work is primarily sedentary. Some walking, standing, and travel between sites required during audits and facility inspections. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an office setting, with occasional visits to laboratories, research clinics, and animal facilities, requiring the use of safety precautions.

Position Overview

This position is located in the Corporate Compliance Department of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The department is responsible for promoting institutional integrity through monitoring and oversight of organizational compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. The primary purpose of the position is to plan, implement, and oversee a research compliance program that ensures adherence to federal and VA research regulations.

Duties

• Major duties include, but are not limited to: Develops, implements, and oversees a comprehensive research compliance program, including audit plans and internal controls. Communicates policy and regulatory updates to leadership, Research Administration, Research & Development Committee, subcommittees, and investigators. Acts as facility liaison to the VHA Office of Search Oversight (ORO); participates in ORO workgroups and national initiatives. Provides compliance-related training and education to investigators and research staff. Conducts audits and evaluations in all areas of research compliance, including human and animal research protections, laboratory safety, research information security, privacy, conflicts of interest, training, and misconduct. Performs both routine and for-cause audits using custom-developed audit tools. Advises on implementation of quality assurance and performance improvement systems to mitigate risk and improve compliance. Provides routine compliance reports to the Facility Director, Chief of Staff, and Associate Chief of Staff for Research. Oversees research safety procedures in collaboration with safety personnel. Implements procedures and trainings; audits disclosures and coordinates investigations. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. ADHOC-May be authorized (Employees who Telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist - Research Compliance Officer/PD618-23560A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.