Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)

Full Job Description

These positions are located in the Department of Research and Development at the VA Portland Health Care System in Portland, OR.

The Animal Facility provides essential operational and technical support in a wide variety of animal studies for biomedical programs involving animal subjects.

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-6 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position.

The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice.

Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience.

ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE INCLUDES: setting up initial records for new research animals; weaning and sexing animals in breeding colony; maintaining records for animal care, feeding, treatment, disposal and environmental monitoring; maintaining the laboratory facilities, equipment, and supplies; administering proper medical treatment to protocol specifications; using standard aseptic procedures and safeguards for processing specimens; animal husbandry.

(THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) ~OR~ SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: You must have successfully completed one-half (1/2) year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree in a field directly related to the work of this position.

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study.

If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

(TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) ~OR~~ COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You must possess combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience directly related to the work of this position to meet total qualification requirements.

(TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) 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/.

Major Duties:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 1 year).

Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration.

Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage.

Term appointments may be extended without further competition.

Duties will include but may not be limited to the following: Responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of assigned rooms and areas within the animal facilities.

Receiving animal subjects, equipment, supplies and services delivered to the Animal Facility.

Preparing and maintaining various species of animals, in programs of research, testing, development and training, as substitute models for the study and understanding of human health and disease.

Regularly monitors general health of animals. Inspecting animals upon arrival and records receipt and findings in animal logbook. Monitoring environmental conditions in animal rooms.

Recognizing deviations from established norms and follows appropriate procedures for reporting and/or correcting any problems.

Performing recordkeeping, feeding, watering, bedding, environmental enrichment, animal identification, daily cage and room monitoring, urgent or emergency situations.

Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.