One position is located in the Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch (RMVB) at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. The other position is located in the Laboratory of parasitic Diseases (LPD) in Montgomery County, Maryland. The Branch and Laboratory are under the Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Summary
One position is located in the Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch (RMVB) at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. The other position is located in the Laboratory of parasitic Diseases (LPD) in Montgomery County, Maryland. The Branch and Laboratory are under the Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Perform experiments in accordance with protocols. Critically analyze results to determine whether data generated is accurate and meets the goals of the experiments.
Investigate research objectives relevant to the overall goals of the laboratory. Locate and review the literature pertinent to the project to identify the most applicable protocols and methods.
Assume major responsibility for the planning and development of experiments and experimental protocols.
Select and order specific experiment materials, including specific kinds and amounts of animals, media, buffers, reagents, and tissue samples.
Collect, organize, and record experimental data in a form suitable for publication.
Carry out complete analyses of data, applying standard statistical methods such dispersion, analysis of variance, and regression and correlation analysis.
Responsible for the organization and maintenance of research laboratory.
Ensure that laboratory equipment is available when needed, is properly calibrated and in working order. Perform routine, and in some cases sophisticated, maintenance and repair of equipment.
U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
Position is subject to a background investigation.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Position has an education requirement.
Qualifications
In order to qualify for a Biologist, GS-401 position you must meet the following Education Requirements:
A. Have completed the requirements for a bachelor's (or graduate) degree in a biological science, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to this position, from an accredited college or university;
OR
B. Have a combination of experience and education which includes courses comparable to a major in a biological science, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to this position, AND have appropriate experience or additional education which demonstrates similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the duties of this position.
Additionally, in order to qualify at the GS-11 level, you must:
A. Have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree;
OR
B. Have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: recommending methods and assisting the scientist in designing the experiment; analyzing and interpreting data from laboratory experiments; assisting in the preparation of research papers by preparing materials and methods and results sections; and using and maintaining a variety of laboratory instruments and ensuring laboratory equipment is calibrated and in working order;
OR
C. Have a combination of post baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
Additionally, in order to qualify at the GS-12 level, you must: Have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: developing, planning, and implementing scientific experiments and experimental protocols; investigating research objectives; analyzing research data by using statistical methods such as dispersion, analysis of variance, regression and correlation analysis; writing reports, analytical interpretations, conclusions, or recommendations, typically for scientific publication; and calibrating and operating sophisticated laboratory instruments to conduct tests and analyses.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
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.
This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.
Additional information
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
A one-year trial/probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
We may make additional selections for similar positions across the entire Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) identified in this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS. There is no option to opt-out as your information will not be shared with other hiring agencies outside of HHS.
The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
This position requires [weekend hours, night shifts, regular or rotational shifts, holiday hours].
At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: [telework, remote work, compressed schedules, flexible schedules].
The position in the Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch (RMVB) may be assigned to work with, handle, receive, or store materials designated as Select Agents and Toxins by the Federal Select Agent Program, and is subject to the terms of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Biological Surety Program (BSP).
The NIH BSP requires successful completion of the following:
Initial and annual medical qualification assessments held by the NIH Occupational Medical Services.
Initial and annual behavioral health screenings, including qualification assessments held by the NIH Behavioral Health Screening Official.
A deemed export review per 15CFR 734.8(c).
An annual Collective Foreign Threats Screening.
Initial and recurrent safety and biological safety training provided on the job.
This is a Tier 3 non critical sensitive National Security position and an Access National Agency Check Inquiry (ANACI), background investigation is required.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.
To determine your qualifications and referral status, a review of your resume and supporting documentation may be made and compared against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Because your rating is based on both your responses to the questionnaire and documentation you submit, please make sure that your self-ratings are supported by the information you provide in your application. Your qualifications and self-ratings may be verified at any time during the application and selection process through quality review, interview questions, work samples, demonstrations, reference checks, and any other means. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts on the assessment questionnaire or in any other materials you submit in support of your candidacy (including but not limited to the application), or in any oral statements you may make during the selection process shall be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.
To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must demonstrate that you substantively exceed the basic qualifications and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.
To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use theUSAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
All of the above information is necessary to determine your qualifications for the position. Please help us make an informed decision regarding your eligibility by providing complete and thorough information on your experience and qualifications. Not providing all of required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.
Required Documentation for Career Transition Claims
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 09/20/2019 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package (see the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required). You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. You must submit your documents through the online application. Unfortunately, we cannot accept emailed or mailed documents. NOTE: that your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim.NOTE: You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, including veterans' preference, regardless of what documentation you submit. We use these questions to assist in determining your eligibility for appointment, preference, and consideration. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package. We cannot accept responsibility for granting you eligibility for something you did not claim other than what you provided us in the questionnaire.
4. Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. NOTE: We will only consider you for the grades, series, and specialties that you self-identify as being qualified for. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a qualification question based on other information in your application package. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10587133
5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit the following although they are not required at the time of application (these documents may be requested later in the process).
- Cover letter
- Copy of transcripts (if applicable). Official transcripts will be required if selected.
- Copy of current, valid, unrestricted professional license/registration (if applicable).
To check your application status or to update your application, log into your USAJOBS account. Access the USAJOBS help page for guidance on navigating the system.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., power outage, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying please contact John Barr at barrjo@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
2115 East Jefferson Street
Rockville, MD 20851
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Your application will be assessed to determine your qualifications and eligibility for the position. After the assessment is complete, you will be notified of the status via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
The selecting official, hiring manager, or someone acting on their behalf will review the applications of the referred candidates and determine who to interview. We may contact you for an interview or to provide additional information after a few days or up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. We may contact you through email or phone so please ensure you have provided us with your accurate and current contact information. To remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the selection and hiring process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.
To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use theUSAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
All of the above information is necessary to determine your qualifications for the position. Please help us make an informed decision regarding your eligibility by providing complete and thorough information on your experience and qualifications. Not providing all of required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.
Required Documentation for Career Transition Claims
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 09/20/2019 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package (see the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required). You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. You must submit your documents through the online application. Unfortunately, we cannot accept emailed or mailed documents. NOTE: that your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim.NOTE: You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, including veterans' preference, regardless of what documentation you submit. We use these questions to assist in determining your eligibility for appointment, preference, and consideration. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package. We cannot accept responsibility for granting you eligibility for something you did not claim other than what you provided us in the questionnaire.
4. Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. NOTE: We will only consider you for the grades, series, and specialties that you self-identify as being qualified for. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a qualification question based on other information in your application package. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10587133
5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit the following although they are not required at the time of application (these documents may be requested later in the process).
- Cover letter
- Copy of transcripts (if applicable). Official transcripts will be required if selected.
- Copy of current, valid, unrestricted professional license/registration (if applicable).
To check your application status or to update your application, log into your USAJOBS account. Access the USAJOBS help page for guidance on navigating the system.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., power outage, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying please contact John Barr at barrjo@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
2115 East Jefferson Street
Rockville, MD 20851
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Your application will be assessed to determine your qualifications and eligibility for the position. After the assessment is complete, you will be notified of the status via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
The selecting official, hiring manager, or someone acting on their behalf will review the applications of the referred candidates and determine who to interview. We may contact you for an interview or to provide additional information after a few days or up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. We may contact you through email or phone so please ensure you have provided us with your accurate and current contact information. To remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the selection and hiring process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
