You will:

- Extrapolate data on laboratory animals to evaluate the possible effects pesticides have on humans; assess the validity of the data and determine the utility of the results.

- Prepare reports that provide recommendations concerning either the retention or cancellation of pesticides.

- Conduct analyses and prepare reports of reviews which provide recommendations concerning pesticide registration actions.

- Attend and participate in meetings, workshops, and seminars related to areas of toxicology and biology.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.

You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

Conditions of employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• Position has educational/degree requirements (see Qualifications section).
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You must submit resume and required documents (see How to Apply section).
• You may be required to travel 1 to 5 days per month.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.

If you are selected, you must complete a one year probationary period.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.

Qualifications

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

Biologist:You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed.

Toxicologist:You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in toxicology, or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology.

As part of the application process, you are required to submit college transcripts or a list of courses as described in the Required Documents section of this announcement. However, if you are selected, you must provide official educational transcripts before you start work with EPA. More information on verification of education can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as developing hazard, dose response, and/or risk characterizations for chemicals; reviewing data as it relates to the effects chemicals have on humans and/or the environment.

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as developing hazard, dose response, and/or risk characterizations for chemicals; preparing reports related to the effects chemicals have on humans and/or the environment.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Ability to examine scientific data to assess risks resulting from pesticide usage; 2) Knowledge of the adverse effects pesticides have on laboratory and domestic animals; 3) Skill in using analytical techniques to support the development of pesticide risk assessments; 4) Skill in oral communication; 5) Skill in written communication sufficient to develop technical reports; 6) Skill in conducting literature searches in a variety of scientific databases.

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the 'Best Qualified', 'Well Qualified', or 'Qualified' category.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments.

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.
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