Summary
This Health Science Specialist position is within the National Center for PTSD at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System located in White River Junction, Vermont. Location is negotiable and you will work physically out of the VA closest to you, but report to White River Junction. Physical location is housed at one of medical facilities within VISN 1. NOTE: This position is not remote or virtual.
Duties
The National Center for PTSD was established to provide professional advice, guidance, and the development of policy and procedure for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The incumbent serves as the Program Coordinator and Consultant for the PTSD Consultation Program at the Executive Division of the National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD). The PTSD Consultation Program offers consultation on PTSD-related questions to providers inside and outside of VA who treat Veterans with PTSD. Duties include but are note limited to: Serves as the initial point of contact for all telephone and email consultation requests from a national audience of healthcare providers (inside and outside of VA) and triages the requests to the most appropriate consultant. This requires taking into account nuances of the clinical question, safety concerns, expertise of each consultant, and consultant's availability to respond in a timely manner. It also requires understanding the scope of the program and making judgments about when to refer out-of-scope inquires elsewhere. Obtains relevant clinical information in a manner that is sensitive and efficient to rapidly assess the clinical needs of consultee. This requires a working knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and the recommendations of the Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD. Provides consultation on resources by responding directly to questions from VA and community providers regarding 1) web-based, written, and community resources for Veterans with PTSD, 2) PTSD-related educational products and training opportunities for providers, 3) existing VA policies, guidelines, and regulations regarding PTSD. Coordinates weekly team meetings by organizing the agenda and carefully documenting the key topics discussed and any relevant decisions made. Coordinates logistical issues for large group consultation meetings. Collects and summarizes questions and consultant responses from group consultation meetings. Uses knowledge of PTSD diagnostic and treatment issues to documents relevant information from these conversations between teams of providers and consultants. Assists in the development and implementation of marketing and outreach plans, awareness campaigns and promotional materials. Works closely with Education, Communications and Consultation Program team members to develop educational materials for clinicians so that relevant information is provided accurately in a format appropriate for a target audience. Develops products related to PTSD, promotional materials, and PowerPoint presentations, so that relevant clinical information is provided accurately in a format appropriate for clinicians. Performs additional duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Telework: Ad-hoc. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Science Specialist/PD04168 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Notifications: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Salary will be determined based on incumbents location and may be lower then salary listed. This position is NOT virtual or remote. You will be assigned to the nearest VA. You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 identification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your 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/.
How you will be evaluated
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. 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.