Health Science Specialist
Job description
Duties
- Synthesizes and disseminates up-to-date key research findings, cutting edge methodologies, and best practices for HIV/AIDS through briefers and recommendations for OHA and Agency leadership for strategies and investments.
- Serves as an Agency expert, providing intellectual leadership spanning the HIV clinical cascade, from case finding through retention on treatment and ensuring viral suppression, with particular focus on community-based programming.
- Provides direct technical support to USAID Missions and Regional Bureaus to ensure that HIV treatment programs are effective, efficient and sustainable. Builds effective working relationships with USG, local governments and civil society stakeholders
- Develops and/or reviews GH Bureau, Regional Bureaus, and overseas Mission HIV policies, strategies, and programs, and provides technical assistance to improve the management of USAID-supported HIV care and treatment programs
- Advises USAID missions on new technical developments in HIV clinical service delivery, with a focus on community-lead case finding, retention support, and provision of integrated patient-centered services, and ensuring viral suppression.
- Manages grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts designed to implement, monitor and evaluate HIV prevention, care and treatment programs as technical advisor and/or as a Contracting/ Agreement Officer?s Representative (COR/AOR) as needed.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- United States Citizenship is required.
- Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
- Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
- If you have no prior Federal experience or are selected under Delegated Examining procedures, you will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
- If you select to be considered under Merit Promotion requirements, you must meet the Time-in-Grade requirements before the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
- These are Testing Designated Positions (TDP's) under the Agency's approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.
Qualifications
Basic Requirement: See education information below.
Specialized Experience at the GS-15:
You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position include: a) working in and/or supporting a facility providing services to patients living with HIV and/or HIV/TB co-infection in a low-to-middle-income country; b) serving as a lead Agency technical expert and resource for implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services to maximize patient retention and virologic suppression; c) providing leadership, management and oversight of USAID and PEPFAR programmatic priorities such as: cervical cancer screening and treatment, optimized linkage approaches from HIV testing services (HTS), mental health screening and treatment, facility-level quality improvement and patient adherence support services; d) providing expert technical assistance and/or oversight of the provision of technical assistance to USG-sponsored international development assistance programs across PEPFAR countries with the objective of achieving epidemic control of HIV; and e) identifying, documenting and disseminating best practices to improve HIV, including HIV/TB co-infection, antiretroviral treatment programs and provision of expert guidance to USG implementing agencies and USAID implementing partners in accordance with the latest scientific and program data.
This vacancy has a Selective Placement Factor: In order to be considered for this position, you must have the following expertise and it must be documented in your resume:
Do you have demonstrable expertise in developing, implementing and strengthening community-based elements of HIV treatment or HIV/TB co-infection treatment programs in low-to-middle-income countries?
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; religious; 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 relevant to the position's duties to be filled, including volunteer experience.
A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. Therefore, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations without selective and quality ranking factors.
Education
This position DOES have a positive education requirement, therefore, transcripts are required. You must possess a Bachelor's degree, or graduate/higher level degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this position. (This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained).
Additional information
USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in the District of Columbia, we operate in more than 100 countries worldwide, playing an active and critical role in the promotion of U.S. foreign policy interests. When crisis strikes, when rights are repressed, when hunger, disease, and poverty rob people of opportunity, USAID acts on behalf of the American people to help expand the reach of prosperity and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. USAID employees and contractors must commit to maintaining a workplace free of sexual misconduct, including harassment, exploitation, and abuse, and adhere to USAID's Counter-Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip. For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov.
If an HR Specialist determines you are among the best-qualified applicants for this position(s), our Office will share your application with multiple hiring managers for consideration. You agree to share your application for similar jobs within USAID by submitting your application to this advertisement.Moving and relocation expenses are not authorized.
EEO Policy: EEO Policy Statement.
Veterans' Information: Veterans' Preference Advisor.
Telework: https://www.telework.gov/.
It is the Government's policy not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. USAID will use information about an individual's employment experience only to determine their qualifications and assess their relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy:
USAID is committed to equal employment opportunity; therefore, reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodation Division in the Office of Civil Rights at reasonableaccommodations@usaid.gov. Reasonable accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about the Reasonable Accommodation Division, please visit our website at: https://www.usaid.gov/careers/reasonable-accommodations.
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.
This vacancy may be used to fill multiple vacancies depending on the needs of the Agency.
After the advertisement closes, a subject matter expert will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter, and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. If your resume does not reinforce your responses to the online assessment questionnaire, it will affect your eligibility for further consideration. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible.
Under Delegated Examining (All U.S. Citizens) procedures, these categories are Gold (90 points or more), Silver (80-89 points), and Bronze (70-79 points). However, your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or an HR Specialist may lower your score. Candidates placed in the "Gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager.
How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (Gold), depending on the position and grade level of the job. (You must provide proof of disability rating with a letter from the Veteran's Administration showing disability percentage rating).
Under Merit Promotion (Status Candidates) procedures, we will refer all candidates we rank as Highly Qualified to the hiring manager. They may invite the referred applicants for an interview.
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies:
- Oral Communication
- Planning and Evaluating
- Project Development and Project Management (HIV)
- Public Health Data Analysis and Utilization
- Technical Competence
- Writing
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.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
- Resume with relevant experience; a cover letter is optional. On your resume, you should list your work experience and, if applicable, your education. For each job, you should include the start and end dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and the hours you worked each week. For any period of Federal service, you must list the occupational series and grade level(s). USAID will use your resume to check your answers on the assessment tool(s).
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). If you are a current Federal employee and choose to have your application considered under Merit Promotion procedures, you must submit the most recent copy of your SF-50; your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code "1" (Career) or "2" (Career-Conditional), and type of position occupied. The best copies
- If requesting consideration under any Veterans' hiring eligibility (veterans' preference and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act), include Veterans' documentation such as a DD2-14, VA Letter and SF-15.
- If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g., disabled veteran, Schedule A, Peace Corps, special hiring programs) include supporting documentation.
- CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
- If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and the quarter and semester hours earned. You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
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
You must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below to apply for this position. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11967533
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement's closing date to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you must create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
The system will take you to the online application you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and apply.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.Agency contact information
USAID HR Help Desk
Phone
202-712-1234 X2
Email
hr-helpdesk@usaid.gov
Address
Bureau for Global Health
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20523
USNext steps
You will receive a notification if you are referred to a hiring manager for further consideration. Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond individually to application status inquiries. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status."
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
- Resume with relevant experience; a cover letter is optional. On your resume, you should list your work experience and, if applicable, your education. For each job, you should include the start and end dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and the hours you worked each week. For any period of Federal service, you must list the occupational series and grade level(s). USAID will use your resume to check your answers on the assessment tool(s).
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). If you are a current Federal employee and choose to have your application considered under Merit Promotion procedures, you must submit the most recent copy of your SF-50; your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code "1" (Career) or "2" (Career-Conditional), and type of position occupied. The best copies
- If requesting consideration under any Veterans' hiring eligibility (veterans' preference and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act), include Veterans' documentation such as a DD2-14, VA Letter and SF-15.
- If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g., disabled veteran, Schedule A, Peace Corps, special hiring programs) include supporting documentation.
- CTAP/ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, an SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area. You MUST also submit documentation to reflect your current (or last) performance rating of record of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent, along with your application/resume package.
- If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript(unofficial transcript) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and the quarter and semester hours earned. You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
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.
This job is open to
-
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
-
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
-
Federal employees - Excepted service
Current excepted service federal employees.
-
Individuals with disabilities
-
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
-
Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
-
Military spouses
-
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
-
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
-
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
-
Veterans
Clarification from the agency
USAID is using this vacancy announcement to recruit under the following areas of consideration: a) All U.S. Citizens (no prior Federal experience required); and b) Status Candidates (on career or career-conditional appointments), including former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility, those eligible for CTAP; ICTAP, VEOA; special hiring programs under a non-competitive appointment authority; Executive Order 12721, and individuals on interchange agreement with Other Merit Systems.
gatheringourvoice.org is the go-to platform for job seekers looking for the best job postings from around the web. With a focus on quality, the platform guarantees that all job postings are from reliable sources and are up-to-date. It also offers a variety of tools to help users find the perfect job for them, such as searching by location and filtering by industry. Furthermore, gatheringourvoice.org provides helpful resources like resume tips and career advice to give job seekers an edge in their search. With its commitment to quality and user-friendliness, gatheringourvoice.org is the ideal place to find your next job.