Research Protocol Subject Matter Expert

Fairfax, VA
Full Time
Experienced
Position Summary
Prometheus Federal Services (PFS) is a trusted partner to federal health agencies. We are seeking a Research Protocol Subject Matter Expert to support Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs by providing domain expertise, analytics and reporting, technology transformation, process improvement, and change management efforts in support of VA's research project management operations. This role will bring deep knowledge of the research protocol lifecycle, regulatory and compliance considerations, and site-level research operations. The ideal candidate has significant experience with program management and management of multi-functional teams, analytics and reporting, including experience working in federal data environments, change management methodologies, and research site engagement and support. 

Core Competencies
  • Deep subject matter expertise in research protocol governance and administration
  • Process analysis and transformation mindset
  • Strong client/stakeholder-facing communication and consulting skills
  • Ability to operate independently while advising and leading across technical and programmatic teams
  • Comfort navigating regulated, compliance-driven environments
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
  • Provide expert guidance to performance tracking and management, change management, process improvement, and technology transformation efforts on all phases of the research protocol lifecycle, including protocol development, IRB/regulatory submission and review, activation, amendment management, continuing review, and closeout.
  • Contribute knowledge on best practices for protocol tracking, documentation standards, and key performance metrics for research program management.
  • Identify lifecycle bottlenecks and data-driven improvements to performance management and tracking.
  • As needed, advise on the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and job aids related to protocol management.
  • Partner with program and technical teams to design future-state workflows, including integration with data platforms, tracking systems, and reporting tools.
  • Support change management activities, including stakeholder engagement, training, and communication planning for new or revised processes.
  • Contribute subject matter expertise to system requirements, tool selection, and workflow design efforts tied to protocol management technology.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including regulatory affairs, data governance, IT, and program management.
  • Contribute to reporting and metrics development to track protocol management performance and process transformation outcomes.
  • Stay current on relevant regulations, guidance, and industry best practices and advise leadership accordingly.
  • Communicate complex technical or domain-specific concepts in a clear and accessible manner to array of audiences. 
Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (psychology, public health, life sciences, health administration, or related discipline); advanced degree preferred.
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in a federal health research environment (e.g., VA, NIH, DoD, or other federal agency research programs).
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in clinical or health research administration, protocol management, or research compliance.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting the full research protocol lifecycle, including IRB/regulatory processes.
  • Experience supporting or leading process improvement or transformation initiatives within a research or clinical operations environment.
  • Strong understanding of research site operations and the challenges faced by site-level research staff.
  • Experience leading the development of standardized, repeatable analytical reporting products, dashboards, and performance tracking systems.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex regulatory and operational concepts for varied audiences.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working across multidisciplinary teams.
  • Authorized to work in the U.S. indefinitely without sponsorship. 
  • Ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance. 
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with relevant regulatory frameworks or agency-specific research policy (e.g., VA research and development policy).
  • Prior experience supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), or other federal healthcare agencies. 
  • Familiarity with VA data domains, research program data, or enterprise VA systems. 
  • Experience supporting IT-enabled process transformation, including requirements gathering or systems implementation for research administration platforms.

Compensation & Benefits

PFS offers a benefits package that may include health, dental, and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; disability and life insurance; a retirement plan; paid time off; and other programs to support employees and their families. Learn more about PFS Benefits.

The posted salary range is the company's good-faith estimate for this role. PFS benefits and compensation are determined by various factors, including, but not limited to, location; the individual's particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience; as well as contract and organizational requirements.

Base Pay Salary Range $130,000 to $150,000

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other status protected by law.

Accommodations

PFS is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at recruiting@pfs.us. Reasonable accommodations are available to ensure applicants with disabilities have equal access to the hiring process, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable laws.

Workplace Health, Safety, and Compliance

This position may be subject to client‑specific or government‑mandated vaccination, health, or safety requirements, which may change over time.

Texting Privacy Policy and Information:

  • Message type: Informational; you will receive text messages regarding your application and potentially regarding interview scheduling.
  • No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.
  • Message frequency will vary depending on the application process.
  • Msg & data rates may apply.
  • Opt out at any time by texting "stop".
Share

Apply for this position

Required*
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume or Paste resume
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.
Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran
  • A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
    • a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
    • a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
  • A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
  • An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
  • An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Veteran status


Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 05/31/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Please check one of the boxes below:

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Human Check*