Interdisciplinary - Supervisory Biological Scientist or Veterinary Medical Officer (Branch Chief)

Full Job Description

The Operations Branch Chief and the Technical Branch Chief are responsible for leading a team of inspectors and technical experts, comprised primarily of veterinarians and biological scientists, that develop, implement, and enforce biological select agents and toxins (BSAT) regulations, ensure all entities that possess, use, or transfer BSAT adhere to the regulations, and that individuals applying for access to BSAT undergo security risk assessments.

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.

All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below.

FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Coordinating short- and long-term work assignments to staff based on consideration of difficulty of assignments and individual capabilities.

Determining the need for development of regulations regarding inspection of regulated entities possessing select agents/toxins.

Providing highly technical review and evaluation of select agent program regulations and U.S. biosafety and security standards/guidelines to ensure regulatory compliance.

Implementation of strategic planning practices and managing a group's workload and resources to accomplish priority activities. Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required. This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.

this education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college or university. 0401 series: Transcripts are required.

See details in the Qualifications section above. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.

An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty.

Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution.

Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S.

education program. For further information, see: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

0701 series: Proof of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Degree or equivalent is required. See additional requirements for this in the Required Documents section below.

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 may include, but are not limited to:
• Supervising subordinates more than 25% of the time including, but not limited to, recruitment, selecting, appraising, rewarding, and addressing performance problems.
• Leads the development of guidance documents and conducts training to help regulated entities maintain regulatory compliance and reviews all incidents resulting in non-compliance.
• Assists the Division of Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins (DASAT) Director in exercising delegated managerial authority to set long-range work plans and goals.
• Identifies options or solutions for resolving budget shortages and plans for long-range staffing needs.
• Advises the DASAT Director of high-visibility, significant impact, or politically sensitive issues, and proactively develops recommendations to address concerns or mitigate the situation.
• Encourages staff participation and collaboration in management processes to promote continual improvements in staff methods, approaches, efficiency, and response to stakeholder concerns.
• Analyzes program performance data for awareness of developing trends; develops potential mitigations; and presents logical alternatives and recommendations in presentations and written reports.
• Organizes meetings, provides presentations, and draft correspondence to provide clarification or information on the program, regulatory policy, or current issues in related disciplines.
• Serves as consultant and advisor to State and Federal officials, as well as representatives of foreign governments, commercial firms, and interest groups.