Biological Scientist

Full Job Description

As a Biological Scientist you will provide scientific and technical expertise to support the key functions of the laboratory sections at the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).

For additional information regarding the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), please visit the hyperlink for a short video.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR Combination of education and experience: post high school education with courses equivalent to a major, which is defined as 24 semester/36 quarter hours, in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience or additional course work.

The quality of the combination must demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of the position and is comparable to that normally acquired through the completion of a full four-year course of study with a major as described above.

In addition to the basic requirement, applicants must meet the below: FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Performing laboratory activities to evaluate and characterize biological specimens.

Writing and reviewing diagnostic case reports, test validation documents, or standard operating procedures for laboratories.

Scheduling, training, the ordering of equipment and reagents, and the periodic maintenance of equipment.

OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in Microbiology, Microbiology and Genetics, Veterinary Microbiology Immunology, Molecular Biology, Virology Animal Science.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education.

You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.

This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements.

The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

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, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Designs, executes, interprets and reports on experiments/experimental data associated with development and validation of new or modified diagnostic assays.
• Characterization of laboratory diagnostic samples using traditional microbiological techniques, virus isolation and sophisticated molecular biological techniques.
• Performs assays for the detection of antigens, nucleic acids and antibodies indicating the presence of a foreign animal disease.
• Operates sophisticated laboratory equipment including thermocyclers, DNA sequencers, ultracentrifuges, flow cytometers, robotics equipment, and electrophoresis apparatus.
• Maintains current knowledge of the literature with focus on foreign and emerging animal diseases of livestock, including diagnostic testing, reagent production vaccine production and epidemiology.
• Maintains accurate records of select agent inventories.
• Maintains accurate records regarding developmental, testing, and quality control procedures performed.
• Coordinates receipt and shipping of biological materials to support mission.