Health Science Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/18/2024. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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: Bachelor’s degree or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (external link) at the time the degree was obtained. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Grade Requirements: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Evaluating patients through various psychological and neuropsychological techniques; Collecting and analyzing data and developing reports; Practical understanding of general psychological and assessment principles, theories, methods and techniques; Performing data analytic tasks; Knowledge of computers and interrelations of various systems; Preparing presentations and staff reports; Knowledge of medical records and terminology; Organizing, planning, coordinating and prioritizing multiple assignments. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or master’s or equivalent graduate degree. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) 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 1 year of graduate level education. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Computer Skills Decision Making Organizational Stewardship Technical Competence Preferred Experience: – Knowledge of and/or experience with administering and scoring psychological and/or neuropsychological assessment measures. – Course work or degree in psychology or related field. – Prior experience working with the clinical population. 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: The position requires manual dexterity, proficient handwriting ability and speed, typing skills and mild physical exertion (i.e., lifting of test supplies, records and equipment). Walking/independent mobility, listening, writing and sitting for prolonged periods of time (2-8 hours) is also required. Incumbent may be required to work under stressful situations with uncooperative, poorly motivated, and possibly emotionally stressed and sometimes disruptive patients. The ability to tolerate the non-physical demands of this position are critical to the incumbents ability to be successful in this role. 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/.
This position is located at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines IL. (578) – a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility and is organizationally aligned under the Mental Health Service Line, Psychology Section. The primary purpose of this position is to provide psychological and neuropsychological assessments and intervention, data analytics and program support to the Neuropsychology Program at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital.