Overview

Position Summary: Under the supervision of the Director of the VA Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), a Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Center, and Principal Investigators (PIs), the Health Services Research Science Writer will participate in multiple projects intended to advance the scientific understanding of common and important health care conditions that affect Veterans, with a focus on science writing. Current CIVIC research includes projects related to suicide prevention, strategies to enhance Veteran-clinician collaboration, care coordination, pain and substance use disorders, cancer, rural health and deployment-related conditions.

Responsibilities: The primary responsibility is to support the Center Director and PIs by assisting with writing grant applications, writing up study analyses and results, generating written and oral reports and briefs, and developing and/or preparing results of secondary analyses of existing datasets for publication.

The Health Services Research Science Writer will use experience and training in research to:

  • Develop specific sections and coordinate research proposals for submission to funding agencies, which may include gathering background data, literature review, writing, editing, and submission coordination.
  • Conduct and/or write up manuscripts describing primary or secondary analyses of existing datasets.
  • Prepare scholarly manuscripts for submission to scientific journals and prepare presentations of study findings for professional meetings.
  • Manage other research reporting requirements
  • Over time, additional responsibilities may include conducting current or future Institutional Review Board-approved health services studies funded by VA HSR&D and other federal funding agencies, supervising research assistant staff and project teams, or helping to manage project budgets.

Experience

Required qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in a related field or higher;
  • Demonstrated experience and expertise with scientific writing, including peer-review manuscripts and/or generating reports that summarize projects and effectively present findings;
  • Experience working on prior research studies as a research associate or similar position;
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as work collaboratively with subject-matter specialists, Center staff, and other stakeholders;
  • Rigorous attention to detail and to record keeping;
  • Resourcefulness and professional judgment;
  • Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks;
  • Strong conceptual, analytic, and oral and communication skills

Preferred qualifications

  • Experience working in health services research.
  • Experience beyond classroom work using statistical software to conduct analyses.

 

The Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC) is committed to developing and sustaining a workforce that supports the inclusion and professional growth of all people regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, Veteran status, familial status, disability status, or genetic information. Candidates must be US citizens. Depending on the candidate’s experience, the target salary will be in the GS-11 range according to the Office of Personnel Management General Schedule table at opm.gov.

 

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume/CV to Dr. Dobscha, by email at steven.dobscha@va.gov with the subject line ‘Health Services Research Science Writer’.

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About Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC)

CIVIC was established in 2013 as a Center of Innovation in health services research at the VA Portland Health Care System. CIVIC’s mission is to conduct research that empowers veterans to improve their health through engagement in self-care, engagement with VA and non-VA healthcare systems, and engagement in the research process. The CIVIC community is committed to developing, fostering, and retaining a diverse workforce. We seek applicants who have experience working with diverse communities and on diverse teams. In addition, we seek candidates who have experience engaging, communicating with, and incorporating perspectives from multiple diverse or underrepresented communities into research.