Program Analyst (Informatics) (TCF Trainee)
What you'd do
The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. The Program Analyst (Informatics) position is in the Quality Management service line at the VA Maine Healthcare System located at the Augusta, ME location. This is a full-time position at 40 hours a week.
Major duties
The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee is an integral member of a Quality Management service line that uses communication, education, and leadership to support comprehension of and adaptation to organizational updates; leveraging project management principles and environmental assessment to drive adoption of change. Duties include, but are not limited to: Routine dialog to enable the sustainment and optimization of our health information technology (IT) solutions and workflows, for the benefit of all staff and Veterans. Cultivates a healthy collaboration between enterprise and facility level clinical / biomedical engineering staff and health informatics, ensuring that patient care technology is effectively and efficiently integrated into the clinical process. Supports the thorough analysis of a workflow to consider opportunities for the potential improvement or optimization of the behavior of people, systems, information, and tools. Ensures the VHA EHR operates in a way that improves patient care, ensures patient safety, and meets the needs of providers through continuous evaluation, testing, and improvement of the system. Applies a true end-to-end process to evaluate workflows, identify issues, develop solutions based on best practice guidelines, and resolves and communicates changes. Studies how people interact with devices, products, and systems. Utilizes an applied field where behavioral science, engineering, and other disciplines come together to develop the principles that help assure that devices and systems are optimized for the people meant to use them. Evaluates, documents, analyzes, prioritizes, and recognizes requirements for the improvement of the EHR and other systems in collaboration with the end-user. Supports the initial phase of requirements analysis where information is gathered on what an IT system needs to perform by engaging with business owners, subject matter experts (SME). Uses communication, education, and leadership to support comprehension of and adaptation to organizational updates. Provides communication channels to clinical and business teams to support deployment, sustainment, and optimization efforts. Performs activities that support the management and delivery of educational experiences using information solutions and technology in all areas of healthcare. Utilizes innovative practice patterns and specializations to continuously develop the informatics role and associated competencies, aligning it with the strategic needs of the organization. Develops and provides formal and informal education and in-services to facility staff as required to facilitate program success. Work Schedule: Full-Time Monday-Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm or 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst (Informatics) (TCF Trainee)/PD99353-TS Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service. This position is not an AFGE Bargaining Unit position. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. 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. No award SF50's will be accepted.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2026. 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 7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 5. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS 7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Serves as a trainee within the Informatics team and is assigned responsibility to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care by integrating clinical and information processes necessary to achieve successful adoption and application of new technologies throughout the VHA. With assistance from higher lnformaticist, provides communication channels to clinical and business teams to support deployment, sustainment, and optimization efforts; includes communication among all stakeholders through each level of the organization, to facilitate and support change. OR; Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education. OR; Superior academic achievement OR; Experience and Education Combination: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade level. 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. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is usually sedentary, but it requires periods of walking, standing, bending, or climbing, and employees may carry light items such as books, instruments, laptops, and other similar materials. Working Environment: The work is conducted in office, conference room, and clinical/hospital patient care settings. Typically, the work is hazard-free, not requiring any special equipment or clothing. The employee is in on-call status as needed and works flexible hours to meet the needs of the facility end user.
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