Supervisory Biologist (Histotechnology)

Full Job Description

This position supervises a group of biological science technicians within the Diagnostic Bacteriology and Pathology Laboratory.

Your work producing rapid, accurate test results will help prevent the spread and cause of diseases that would result in great economic losses.

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: Courses equivalent to a major (which is defined as 24 semester/36 quarter hours), as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-9 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Providing leadership and technical guidance to a histology laboratory with procedures such as histochemical staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC), microtoming, embedding tissues, labelling tissue blocks and slides, organizing tissue blocks and slides; and preparing chemical solutions using knowledge of biological sciences.

Assist with training technicians in the histology laboratory. Assist with the periodic maintenance of equipment, to maintain testing standards and ISO accreditation.

Assist with laboratory records management to maintain testing standards and ISO accreditation. OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

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

TRANSCRIPTS are required: 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-11 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:
• Supervise subordinates including, but not limited to, recruitment, development, appraising, rewarding, addressing performance problems, and fostering an inclusive workplace.
• Provide technical expertise in histology, immunohistochemistry, and other analyses as needed.
• Coordinate and oversees high quality histology products as needed by the pathologists.
• Prepare chemical solutions, receive samples, embed tissues, microtome tissues, stain slides, label tissues on slides with antibodies (immunohistochemistry), organize and label slides, and other tasks.
• Identify and create plans to address areas within the unit needing method development or workflow improvements.
• Plan and direct the quality assurance activities of the unit in a manner that is consistent with policies and goals.