Summary

Provides executive leadership for the Area Indian Health Service Division of Public Health, overseeing the planning, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs and services. Leads efforts to strengthen public health systems, improve health outcomes, and ensure services effectively address the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Duties

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• Provides executive leadership and collaborates with the Area Director and executive leadership on strategic planning, policy development, and implementation of Area health programs.
• Coordinates public health planning, policies, training, and activities across Service Units in collaboration with Public Health Directors and Tribal partners.
• Leads the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of public health services to ensure quality, effectiveness, and improved health outcomes.
• Serves as a technical and clinical consultant to IHS programs, regional public health organizations, and community groups on health issues affecting the Area population.
• Directly supervises Division staff and provides oversight of field offices while providing diagnostic, therapeutic, ambulatory, and emergency medical care as a staff physicians.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period

U.S. Citizenship is required

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.

IHS Selectees whose duties and responsibilities require them to work permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy related to vaccine-preventable diseases, consistent with recommendations for healthcare workers. Vaccine exemption requests may be available, as outlined in the IHS Employee Immunization Policy and facility guidance.

The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.

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Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

Degree: Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or equivalent from a school in the United States or Canada. This degree must have been accredited by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association; Association of American Medical Colleges; Liaison Committee on Medical Education; Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association, or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Degree from Foreign Medical School: A Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a foreign medical school must provide education and medical knowledge equivalent to accredited schools in the United States. Evidence of equivalency to accredited schools in the United States is demonstrated by permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, a fifth pathway certificate for Americans who completed premedical education in the United States and graduate education in a foreign country, or successful completion of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination.

Licensure

For all grade levels and positions, applicants must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a Physician from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Graduate Training

Subsequent to obtaining a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, a candidate must have had at least 1 year of supervised experience providing direct service in a clinical setting, i.e., a 1-year internship or the first year of a residency program in a hospital or an institution accredited for such training. For purposes of this standard, graduate training programs include only those internship, residency, and fellowship programs that are approved by accrediting bodies recognized within the United States or Canada. Descriptions of such programs are described below.

• An internship program involves broadly based clinical practice in which physicians acquire experience in treating a variety of medical problems under supervision (e.g., internal medicine, surgery, general practice, obstetrics-gynecology, and pediatrics). Such programs are in hospitals or other institutions accredited for internship training by a recognized body of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
• A residency program involves training in a specialized field of medicine in a hospital or an institution accredited for training in the specialty by a recognized body of the American Medical Association, (AMA) or Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
• A fellowship program involves advanced training (beyond residency training) in a given medical specialty in either a clinical or research setting in a hospital or an institution accredited in the United States for such training.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below:

• For GS-15 - 5 years of graduate training in the specialty of the position to be filled or equivalent experience and training.

The position requires both broad knowledge of medicine and other health care disciplines, and requires specific knowledge and ability in primary care, medical specialties and several subspecialties. Among these subspecialties, a working knowledge of law as it relates to medical practice, transcultural medicine or public health and a working familiarity with principles of medical administration. In addition, the position requires the ability to work with a wide variety of cultural, educational, and specialized training backgrounds.

Click on the following link to view occupational requirements for this position: Physician Series 0602

Board Certified (ABMS or NBPAS) is preferred but not required in the specialty to which the applicant is applying.

Board Certification in the specialty of position applied for: Applicant acknowledges responsibility to provide verification of an active and valid certification standing; OR if a lapse in board certification or completed an accredited residency program (in excess of 3 years) applicant must provide verification of active pursuit to become board certified with an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board. Failure to provide verification documentation may result in the withdrawal of an employment offer, up to disciplinary and/or adverse action to include termination of Federal employment.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades at the time of application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Additional information

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

• This position is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required.
• Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)
• The incumbent is required to drive government vehicles.
• The incumbent is required to maintain, a current State driver's license.
• The incumbent will also be required to travel on government business, occasionally out of state.
• Works on a rotational basis to provide continuity of medical services during days, nights, weekends and holidays.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:

For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/

For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?

• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 09/30/2026, to be considered.

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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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