Program Specialist

Summary This Program Specialist Resident Coordinator position is located in Medicine and Dermatology Service at the VA Connecticut , West Haven campus. The purpose of the position is to perform administrative functions that include technical support, human resource management, analytical and evaluative techniques, logistics and a variety of related administrative matters in support of the residency program. This position functions as the first point of contact for 400 health trainees annually. Duties

The duties of this occupation include but are not limited to:

• Serves as primary Resident Coordinator for Medicine and Dermatology residency programs (~400 trainees across 10 subspecialty programs), interpreting QGENDA and MedHub schedules to ensure 24-hour VA inpatient coverage.
• Coordinates incoming trainee rotation schedules, call schedules, clinic schedules, conferences, and journal clubs throughout the academic year; liaises with Yale-affiliated program coordinators.
• Reviews TQCVL letters and trainee applications, determines visa status where applicable, and ensures proper appointment of residents and trainees in hospital computer systems.
• Assigns, tracks, and reviews mandatory training compliance for trainees; coordinates person class/user class assignment and system access via APDS; monitors expiring resident privileges.
• Organizes new intern and faculty orientation at the start of each academic year, including appointment processing for new trainees and faculty.
• Provides technical support and troubleshooting for hardware, software, and systems issues for Medicine and Dermatology Services, resolving the most difficult requests before escalating to OIT.
• Assists in development and modification of automation projects; designs methods for collecting and retrieving computer data to enhance program-related data analysis.
• Helps staff register for and troubleshoot VPN/remote access; conducts quarterly reviews of active VPN accounts; enters and follows up on ePAS tickets.
• Plans, designs, and conducts computer training on VistA, CPRS, and related network applications; serves as TMS administrator arranging mandatory hospital training (fire/safety, Info Security, ACLS/BLS, PIV).
• Conducts regular VistA access reviews, ensures proper menus/keys/access are issued and monitors for information security violations; trains users on security policy and procedures.
• Performs special projects including MPR submissions, P4P oversight/tracking, and PPE backup support; serves as System Redesign expert, analyzing data and proposing process improvements to VA leadership.
• Functions as backup purchasing agent preparing purchase orders and assisting with Equipment Inventory Listings (EILs); develops and coordinates local IT technical standards and the computer failure action plan.

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

Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not Authorized

Telework: May be authorized as determined by the agency policy.

Position Description/PD#:Program Specialist /PD0042640

Relocation or Travel Incentives: Not Authorized

Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Promotion Potential: This vacancy is being announced at the full performance level GS-09.

Notifications:

• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• Selectee may be required to work at any VA Connecticut Healthcare System campus, as needed.
• May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Selectee may be required to work at any VISN 1 Healthcare System campus, as needed.
• 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 in the Competitive Service.
• Time-in-Grade Restriction: 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. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.
• Veterans' preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/16/2026.

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.

Minimum Qualification Program Specialist GS-09:

You must qualify based on your specialized experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service that has given the applicant the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Program Specialist - Resident Coordinator, experience that demonstrated a knowledge of the function(s) of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: Performing administrative functions that include technical support, human resource management, analytical and evaluative techniques, logistics and a variety of related administrative matters in support of a residency program ; perform administrative work with one or more of the following areas: personnel management/administration, budgeting and financial management, procurement and contracting, property management, and/or supply; performs analytical and evaluative work related to the service line and program activities,

including quantitative and qualitative assessments of how effectively programs or operations meet established goals and objectives; tracks and analyzes program performance data to identify slippage and determine trends. Acts as a liaison and handles communications with persons and/or groups within and outside of the organization. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree

or

2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

or

LL.B. or J.D., if related (Transcripts Required). OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and specialized experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience as described above and graduate education (beyond the second year) as described above which totals at least one year. Only education in excess of the first two graduate years or 36 credits can be used for the combination of education and specialized experience. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond one year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of the position such as program coordinating, interpreting and adapting guidelines to ensure 24 hour hour patient coverage, tracking and analyzing program performance . (Transcripts Required)

Selective Placement Factor: Experience onboarding medical providers and/or trainees into a clinical or healthcare setting, including credentialing support and systems access provisioning knowledge.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. Travel will be required on a periodic basis. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office within a VA Medical Center. 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 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/.

Requirements

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. How you will be evaluated IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Technical Problem Solving
• Administration and Management
• Planning and Evaluating
• Problem Solving
• Identity Management

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.How to apply Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13104022 . The application process is as follows:

• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
• Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
• Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, November 16, 2026.
• If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
• Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
• Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
• Set aside at least 2 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: https://usajobshelp.opm.gov/hc/en-us. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:

• Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
• Use concise, results focused language
• Align language from the job announcement
• Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
• Remove outdated or unrelated experience
• Use the USAJOBS resume builder

Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit?Other 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.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.Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.