Health Science Specialist

About the role

The Health Science Specialist (HSS) position is located at the Boston Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center (Boston CSPCC) in Boston, MA. The HSS serves as a Research Assistant and provides research support for a variety of clinical research studies.

Duties

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Manage study participant processing and workflow from informed consent and enrollment through study follow-up in accordance with approved research protocols
• Coordinate day-to-day research activities and support the execution of single- and multi-site clinical research studies
• Enter, review, verify, and maintain research data in computerized databases while ensuring data integrity, security, and protocol compliance
• Prepare and maintain Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, regulatory documentation, and other required study records
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensure compliance with applicable VA, federal, and research regulations
• Compile and analyze research data; prepare statistical reports, technical reports, manuscripts, grant proposals, and other research-related documents
• Perform literature reviews and provide technical and administrative support to investigators and research staff
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

Basic Education Requirement: Possess a bachelor's degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university in a major study in an academic field related to the medical field - health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this position. (Transcripts Required)

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, to qualify for the GS-7 level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

• Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Health Science Specialist - Research Study Coordinator. Qualifying specialized experience includes: assisting with recruitment and screening of research study participants; collecting and recording data; maintaining documentation and records; coordinating appointments, preparing materials, and assisting staff with day-to-day operations; communicating with research participants to obtain consent; and tracking databases and spreadsheets. (Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties, responsibilities and hours in each position.)
• Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): A bachelor's degree with SAA fully qualifying. Applicants must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below:
  • Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision.
  • A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
  • A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
  • Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.
• Education: One (1) year of graduate education that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (Transcripts required at time of application.)
• Combination: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education described, that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Your experience must be detailed in your resume and transcripts required.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.