Executive Director National Infectious Disease Services

Duties

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This is not a virtual position.

4-Year 7306 appointment with potential for re-appointment (not guaranteed)

NOTE: Applicant's education and length of practice (experience) will be considered by a Compensation Panel in determining the salary of the applicant selected. Exceptions to the salary cap must be approved.

Work schedule: Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized

Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Relocation Expenses: Authorized

The Department of Veterans Affairs offers Permanent Change of Station (PCS) relocation services. Permanent Change of Station is the relocation of a household due to government convenience in connection with a transfer between duty stations or facilities. For more information, go to http://vaww.fscdirect.fsc.va.gov/pcs.asp.

The Executive Director (ED), National Infectious Disease Services (NIDS) provides strategic leadership for the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) national infectious disease programs. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Officer for the Specialty Care Program Office, the ED serves as VHA's principal advisor and subject-matter expert on infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, clinical management, antimicrobial stewardship, multidrug-resistant organisms, Legionella and water safety, and bio-surveillance.

The ED leads multidisciplinary clinical, scientific, and administrative teams; establishes national policies and priorities; and develops short- and long-term plans aligned with VA and VHA missions. Key responsibilities include issuing national guidance, overseeing major prevention and stewardship programs, using emerging-pathogen data to support evidence-based decisions, and advising senior VA leaders on complex public-health and clinical matters.

The role also advances education and research through professional presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and workforce training. By building partnerships with federal agencies and private-sector organizations, the ED strengthens healthcare quality, system preparedness, employee safety, and the delivery of consistent, high-quality care to Veterans nationwide.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 4-Year 7306 appointment with potential for re-appointment (not guaranteed)
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/02/2026.

REFERENCES: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard effective April 28, 2026.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

In order to qualify for this position you must meet the following:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICIAN

U.S. Citizen

Degree of doctor of medicine: 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.

Residency Training: Physicians must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in an accredited core specialty training program (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) leading to eligibility for board certification, OR

(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) leading to eligibility for board certification, OR

(3) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States, OR

(4) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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.

Licensure: Physicians must possess a 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. The Physician must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.

DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:

Applicants must possess extensive leadership experience in the health care arena sufficient to qualify for the equivalent of a senior executive equivalent position within the Federal service. In addition, the incumbent is broadly acquainted with clinical treatment modalities, administrative and clinical support systems and is knowledgeable about multifaceted health care delivery systems. Leadership experience at a national or regional level showing a broad scope of responsibility.

In addition to basic requirements, the following technical and executive core qualifications are required for this position. Typically, these qualifications would be gained through education, experience and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in responsible management/executive level assignments in health care at a national or Network level, equivalent positions in a hospital/network/regional office or allied medical care facility, or executive positions in an academic institution. An individual's total experience and education must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position.

To meet the minimum qualifications, applicants must possess all of the necessary requirements for this position, you MUST SHOW in your RESUME that you possess the five Mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualification(s) outlined below. Eligibility will be based on clear and concise accomplishments that emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments (with results), policy initiatives and level of contacts.

Applicants can obtain a sample resume along with additional information regarding the Executive Core Qualifications on the Internet at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/qualify.asp.

A. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS:

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

B. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQ):

1. Completed Fellowship Training in Infectious Disease

2. Demonstrated expertise in Medical Epidemiology

Education

PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.

Additional information

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans' Preference does not apply to Senior Executive Equivalent positions.

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.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.