Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Research & Development

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Research & Development works at Louis A. Johnson VAMC and is responsible for providing oversight for all research studies at Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (LAJVAMC). He/she has senior leadership responsibility for administrative and budgetary operations of the R & D department.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be January 31, 2026 with subsequent cut-off date every month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until the position if filled.

The ACOS of Research and Development is responsible for the oversight of all research related activities including the Research & Development Committee, the Human Research Protection Program and maintaining compliance with both VA research regulations. The ACOS of R & D is expected to remain privileged and practicing in his/her specialty field and to have an active involvement in his/her own research projects. The incumbent has both administrative and supervisory responsibilities within the Research Department. The ACOS of R & D will be expected to obtain an academic appointment at the affiliated medical school. This position offers an excellent opportunity to facilitate the growth and development of an enthusiastic and well-motivated team of staff and investigators. The Associate Chief of Staff has direct patient care (clinical time, face-to-face patient care, etc.), within his/her area of clinical expertise, minimum of 30% (12 hours per week).

Other duties include:

• Participate in research activities pertinent to their area of expertise although limited research is conducted in the clinical setting, the use of carefully executed procedures may be part of a research design. The incumbent may be requested to assist in gathering clinical research data.
• Responsible for supervising, mentoring, and precepting student trainees within their specialty field and maintaining liaisons with affiliated colleges and universities. They may also provide instructions to residents and interns who seek information on his/her area of specialty.
• Responsible for planning, conducting, coordinating, and monitoring the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning.
• Works independently and in collaboration with other health services researchers formulating and conducting research projects related to his/her disciplinary field.
• Serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases and is a recognized subject matter expert in their field.
• Communicates with and motivate staff members of other disciplines and promote staff solidarity with regard to treatment issues.
• Supervises Research and Development staff to include but not limited to Research Nurse and Administrative Officer.
• Hears and resolves informal complaints and grievances, develops performance improvement plans when indicated, and recommends personnel actions as appropriate for employees supervised.
• Approves funding transactions for research control points.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)
Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm

Contract Buy Out Program: This position may be eligible for the Physician / Provider Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP), which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements, loan repayments, sign-on bonus contracts, Physician-owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years). For additional information and eligibility requirements, contact the VHA Contract Buy Out Program Manager at vacontractbuyoutprog@va.gov.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR
  [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR
  (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience:

• 3-5 years of experience in research.
• Board Certification.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements:

• Lifting up to 35 pounds, intermittently; moderate carrying (15-35 pounds), intermittently; lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Policy except in emergent situations requiring prompt patient care; pulling, intermittently; pushing, intermittently; reaching above the shoulders, intermittently, both hands required; walking, intermittently; standing, intermittently; kneeling, intermittently; and repeated bending.

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.]

NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.