Communications Specialist

Summary

The Communications Specialist position is located in Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS). The position coordinates the marketing, recruiting, and process improvement efforts for outreach throughout the TRACTS network nationwide. This action involves research, reports, products, and organization data needed to design, conduct, and evaluate innovative means to advertise and market the short-term and long-term benefits of Veteran participation in TRACTS research.

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Duties

• *THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***
  
  

NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Responsible for identifying venues/activities/entities throughout the Massachusetts and New England areas where Service Members and Veterans of Post 9/11 can be introduced to the study and be screened for inclusion/exclusion as human research participants.
• Developing recruitment strategies with the TRACTS Principal Investigators to plan, develop, and implement human subject recruitment that complies with existing governing regulations and guidelines.
• Maintaining transactional tracking database and overseeing data entry for contacts and related actions for all research participants.
• Analyzing participation trends, customer markets, and customer needs to develop a comprehensive, fact-based outreach and recruitment plan to accomplish the research effort systematically and effectively.
• Assisting participants in scheduling study related testing and procedures.
• Assisting the administrative officer in budget formulation, billing, fiscal management, operations, information technology, acquisitions, contracting, logistics, administration, safety, and strategic planning.
• Maintaining contact with study participants with regular and multiple reminders about study participation dates as well as navigate them through the study process.
• Performing other duties as assigned.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.



Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess 1 year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-8 level in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) needed to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to this Communications Specialist position to be filled. Specialized experience for the position includes planning, implementing, managing, orchestrating, and analyzing the comprehensive outreach and human subject recruitment actions for medical research studies; maintaining tracking database for research participants; developing advertising media to recruit participants; gathering, recording, reporting, and analyzing statistical data for process improvements and outreach efforts. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.)

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Analytical Reasoning
• Communications
• Organizational Awareness
• Research
  
  

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.



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, including volunteer experience.



Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. There may be some walking, bending, and occasionally may require lifting of light office equipment and materials. The work is primarily conducted in a typical office environment. Regular and recurring travel is required throughout the New England catchment area along with travel throughout the TRACTS Research Network.

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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.



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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (202) 020-2020.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Help 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.
  
  

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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.

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