Department of Health and Human Services

Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)

Montgomery County, Maryland, Durham, North Carolina Full time

Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)

Department: Department of Health and Human Services

Location(s): Montgomery County, Maryland, Durham, North Carolina

Salary Range: $102415 - $187093 Per Year

Job Summary: Join one of the 24 Institutes and Centers within the NIH that awards extramural grants! Extramural grants account for approximately 80 percent of NIH's budget and are awarded to investigators at more than 2,500 universities, medical schools, and other research organizations around the world. To learn more about the grants process, types of grant programs, and the peer review process, visit the website for the Office of Extramural Research.

Major Duties:

  • Perform scientific and administrative reviews and analyses of applications/proposals from a programmatic viewpoint.
  • Consult with and advise grantees/contractors during preparation of applications/proposals and provide guidance on program issues.
  • Develop, coordinate and administer grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts established to fulfill the mission of the Branch and Division.
  • Visit universities, research institutions, commercial organizations, other government agencies, entrepreneur/innovation centers, and public and private organizations to promote and explain the objectives of the program.
  • Lead planning and development of biomedical research programs in assigned scientific area.
  • Monitor scientific progress of funded projects and recommend continued funding decisions.
  • Develop funding announcements and present research concepts to advisory councils.
  • Organize scientific workshops and conferences to advance research in assigned program area.

Qualifications: Basic Education Requirements: Successful completion of a bachelor's 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 the 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). You qualify at the GS-12 level, if you meet the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) Authored a patent, scientific publication, or an internal research report (i.e., within an organization) summarizing analyses and findings; (2) Shared research through posters or oral presentations at scientific events (e.g., conferences, conventions); and (3) Communicated within a team to establish a research design, analyze data, and document findings. You qualify at the GS-13 level, if you meet the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) Authored multiple patents, scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals, or research reports summarizing analyses and findings; (2) Presented at scientific events (e.g., conferences, conventions) engaging in discussions with scientists to share insights, respond to questions, or exchange ideas that advance research; (3) Monitored progress on a research project by coordinating resources and managing timelines; (4) Initiated development and submission or research plans, funding opportunities, proposals, or applications; and (5) Evaluated research applications, proposals, or other material (e.g., reports) based on scientific and technical merit. You qualify at the GS-14 level, if you meet the following qualification requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: (1) Published as a primary or corresponding (i.e., communicates with editors) author in research publications, book chapters, or other scientific products (e.g., reports summarizing analyses and findings, patents); (2) Served as the lead presenter at scientific events (e.g., conferences, conventions) to advise on progress and emerging scientific direction; (3) Oversaw research projects by coordinating resources and managing timelines; (4) Conceptualized, initiated, and implemented scientific initiatives to enhance research efforts (e.g., multidisciplinary/cross-departmental collaboration); and (5) Evaluated research applications, proposals, or other material (e.g., reports) for compliance, relevance, and scientific/technical merit. You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay. Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12895474

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete and submit all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents sections. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click Apply Online button. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Veteran, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package. Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12895474 After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. 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 about 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. 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. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later. We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov. For reasonable accommodations not related to USA Hire, please contact Global Jobs at globaljobs@mail.nih.gov . Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date. Visit our site for information on NIH's EEO program, Reasonable accommodation procedures, laws, policy statements, and the operation of the EEO complaint process.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-25