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Chemist

Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of regulatory Science
This job announcement has closed

Summary

LOCATION: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Office of Regulatory Science (ORS) is recruiting for multiple positions in various laboratories (please see list of locations).

Additional selections may be made from this vacancy, within the same geographical area, by other organizational elements from within FDA, through shared corporate recruiting activities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/24/2019 to 06/10/2019
Salary
$36,356 to - $57,809 per year

The salary listed in the vacancy announcement is at the base level. The geographical locality pay will be determined upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Alameda, CA
Irvine, CA
Lakewood, CO
Atlanta, GA
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent Graduates
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
FDA-ORA-19-RG-10504109-WW
Control number
533861600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution; veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.

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Duties

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  • Performs scientific chemical analyses on a variety of samples
  • Exercises judgment to select the appropriate methods and procedures to use
  • Prepares scientific reports and records in detail the receipt, handling and analysis of sample
  • Prepares scientific reports identifying the sample and stating the methods and procedures used, any modifications of the method including validation data, and the results
  • Determine the approach, methods, and procedures to use to obtain the information requested, taking into consideration the requirements established by Agency regulations and Federal law.
  • Participate in firm inspections with an experienced investigator to assist, observe and evaluate manufacturing processes, practices and conditions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident is required for this appointment.
  • Selective Service Registration: All applicants born male, on (or after) 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System OR have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
  • FDA participates in e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: All employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • You must meet ALL requirements by the closing date of this announcement to be considered. Only education, experience, and qualifications attained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements through the hiring process.
  • Certification of Accuracy: All information concerning eligibility and qualification is subject to investigation and verification. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection, or appropriate legal action.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • Must have overall GPA of at least 2.8 or better.
  • Must sign FDA Pathways Program Participant Agreement.
  • Must serve one-year trial period or the duration of the program.
  • Pre-employment physical required: No
  • License required: Yes, valid driver's license
  • Bargaining Unit Position: Yes
  • Annual leave for non-federal service authorized: No
  • Mobility Agreement required: Yes
  • Must be able to lift heavy objects up to 50 lbs.
  • Immunization required: No

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements by 06/10/2019 to participate in this Recent Graduate Program:

A.
Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or qualifying certificate with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above from an accredited educational institution within the 2 years preceding the closing date of this announcement. OR
B.
Released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years by 06/10/2019, where as a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying to the Recent Graduate Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period following completion of degree or certificate requirements, are entitled to a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may the eligibility period extend beyond 6 years from the date on which the preference eligible veteran completed the requirements of the degree or certificate.

NOTE: You must submit transcripts or official documentation, to verify Recent Graduate Program eligibility. Transcripts MUST reflect the degree/certificate program and the degree conferred date. In addition to the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, you must also meet the following qualification requirements by 06/10/2019 in order to qualify for the Chemist, 1320, at GS - 7/9.

EDUCATION STATEMENT - Individual Occupational Requirement: This position has an education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades) to document that you have met the education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package; however, official transcripts will be required prior to beginning employment. Most colleges and universities offer unofficial transcripts online - please check your school website to obtain a copy quickly. Applicants must have successfully completed one of the following (A or B):

Basic Qualification for Chemist, GS-1320-7/9:

A. Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; -OR-

B.
Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

GS-07 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

A.
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service which includesperforming chemical analysis and scientific tests using various laboratory instruments and computer systems; -OR-

B. One year of graduate level education in related to the position being filled from an accredited college and/or university; -OR-

C. A bachelor's degree as described in the Basic Qualification Requirements above and meet Superior Academic Achievement provision (S.A.A.) criteria. S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on completed courses. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies; OR

D. Have a combination of experience as described in "A" above and education as described in "B" above. When combining education with experience, first determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

GS-9: Additional Requirements:

A. Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service which includes gathering and performing chemical scientific analyses and tests on sample substances; recording laboratory analyses and measurements; and interpreting the findings and using various laboratory instruments and computer systems.; -OR-

B. A master's or equivalent graduate degree; -OR- 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree is related to the position to be filled; if related, a LL.B. or J.D. -OR-

C. Have a combination of experience as described in "A" above and education as described in "B" above. When combining education with experience, first determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school you attended has determined to represent one year of study. If this information cannot be obtained from your school, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time study. This position requires a degree or completion of specific courses in order to meet the basic education requirement. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the Basic Qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this, you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent. Degree requirements must be met by the closing date of this job announcement and your transcript(s) submitted must reflect this.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Education

Official Transcript:
If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, click on foreign education.

Foreign Education:
If you are using education completed at foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program.

If you have transferred educational credit from a foreign institution to one in the U.S., you must still show that your foreign education was evaluated by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, even if that foreign education was accepted as transfer credit by a domestic college or university.


For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

Additional information

More information on the Pathways Programs for Recent Graduates can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/

The Pathways Recent Graduates may be non-competitively converted to a term, career-conditional, or career appointment following successful completion of at least one year of continuous service, demonstrated successful job performance, and after meeting all other qualification requirements in accordance with 5 CFR 362.305. To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term position, Recent Graduates must:

  • Successfully completed at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program.
  • Demonstrate successful job performance.
  • Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.
  • Recent Graduates are on a trial period for the duration of the program.
  • Positions will Require 40 hours of formal training per year.
  • Must be a citizen of the United States.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 06/10/2019) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. Political Appointee FAQ - OPM
  • Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.
  • Veteran's Preference: If you are claiming veterans' preference under competitive procedures, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 2 or 4 copy), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other proof of eligibility. To be acceptable, the document must show character of service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF-15) and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF 15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. See Veterans Preference for more.
  • Financial disclosure statement, OGE-450, ma be required: Please be advised that this position will be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation. If you are hired, you may be required to divest of certain financial interests. You are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting any job offers.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 06/10/2019), a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted, the information will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible, or your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your skills and abilities.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

About Category Rating (DEU) Procedures (Basis for Rating):

  • Category rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates.
  • The answers you provide to the applicant self-assessment questions will be used, in conjunction with the supporting documents you include, and your resume, to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualification for this position specifically.
  • Your application score is used to place you into one of three quality categories: "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified". (The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.)
  • The cut-off score for each quality category may vary from announcement to announcement, and is determined by each agency, in advance of the advertisement going live.
  • Category Rating does not add veterans preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles Vets who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 30% must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).
  • Only applications in the Best Qualified category are referred to the hiring office for consideration.
  • If a high volume of applications are from highly qualified preference eligible Veterans, FDA's HR office may elect to refer ONLY those preference eligible Veterans to the hiring office for consideration.
  • If FDA receives a small number of applications, or if the score range of applications in the highest quality category is low enough, the Best Qualified category may be merged with the Well Qualified category and the merged list may be provided to the hiring office instead.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). You do not have to respond to the KSA's separately, but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the Competencies/KSA's.

1. Research

2.Technical Knowledge

3. Written communication.

4. Oral communication.

To preview the application assessment questions, click the link below:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10504109

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