About this role
Job SummaryThe Program Specialist serves within the Education Service Line at the Dorn VA Medical Center and supports a wide range of training, academic affiliation, and administrative functions essential to the Veterans Health Administration's education mission. The role focuses on coordinating Associated Health Trainee programs-such as nursing, pharmacy, optometry, and allied health-and managing medical student activities.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/28/2026. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. 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-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: Onboarding health professions trainees & academic or training programs such as residency or trainee programs. 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 ??????: Master's degree Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, Equivalent graduate education combination 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/.
Major DutiesMajor Duties: Coordinates onboarding and orientation for medical students and associated health trainees, ensuring completion of mandatory training and accurate entry of trainee data into local and national systems. Performs analytical and evaluative work to assess program operations, prepare reports, and recommend process improvements to the Associate Chief of Staff for Education. Supports residency program administration, including managing disbursement agreements, affiliation agreements, Subcouncil documentation, and statistical reporting for the Office of Academic Affiliations. Administers VA national scholarship programs (EISP, NNEI, VANEEP) and provides guidance to employees on eligibility, application, academic progress, and service-obligation compliance. Interprets federal regulations, VA directives, VISN policies, and Medical Center procedures and advises service line staff on policy updates or procedural changes. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Mon-Fr Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD071610 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): ???????Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.