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Chemist

Department of the Treasury
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
This job announcement has closed

Summary

TTB's mission is to collect alcohol, tobacco, firearms and ammunition excise taxes; to ensure that alcohol beverages are labeled, advertised and marketed in accordance with the law; and to administer the laws and regulations in a manner that protects the revenue, protects the consumer, and promotes voluntary compliance. TTB is recognized as one of the Federal government’s best places to work.  We ranked in the top 2% of agency subcomponents (#8 of 415) in 2018.  See www.bestplacestowork.org.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/26/2019 to 10/03/2019
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$47,016 to - $74,759 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 09
Location
Beltsville, MD
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Full-time
Work schedule
Full-time - Career/Career Conditional
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
No
Announcement number
19-TTB-78-P
Control number
546901900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Who May Apply: U.S. citizens and U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

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The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

- Review complex formulas and/or performs regulatory analyses on a wide range of complex alcohol beverages, nonbeverage alcohol products, or tobacco product samples using chemical, physical, and instrumental techniques (may require extensive examination, method development or modification). 
- Prepare laboratory reports summarizing results on sample submissions and conclusions reached; write official documents such as other technical reports, memoranda, etc.; advise investigators/auditors where specialized experience will help their investigations; and respond to technical questions from TTB program offices and regulated industry.
- Identify the need for improved or new analytical methods to address regulatory issues or problems and/or enhancing laboratory capabilities, and plan, organize and conduct analyses to implement these needs. 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  • Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  • Must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized experience: For the GS-09, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: 

- Performed a variety of chemical analysis utilizing modern analytical techniques; AND
- Carried out quantitative analysis for ingredients in water, food, chemical and/or pharmaceutical products. Developed quantitative analytical methods of analysis.

OR

You may substitute education for general or specialized experience as follows: Education: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

OR

You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Combination of Experience and Education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
 

Specialized experience: For the GS-07, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: 

- Performed a variety of chemical analysis utilizing analytical techniques; AND
- Carried out qualitative or quantitative analysis for ingredients in water, food, chemical, tobacco or pharmaceutical products. Under supervision, developed quantitative or qualitative analytical methods.

OR

You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: One full year of graduate level education in a related field; or Superior Academic Achievement based on a bachelor's degree that is demonstrated through class standing (upper 1/3 of class); or grade point average (2.95/4.0 overall or 3.5/4.0 in major), or election to membership in a qualifying national scholastic honor society.

OR

You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Combination of Education and Experience: To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent.

Education

1. Basic Requirements:
A. A degree in 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.
 
The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

- We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. 
- This is a bargaining unit position.
- We offer opportunities for telework after at least six months of training.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- A one year probationary period may be required.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation.
- National Security Background Investigation will be required.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
- Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
- Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9.  Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
- Undergo an income tax verification.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Technical and Communication.

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, A, B, or C depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category.

GS-7 ONLY: Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category. 

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must be assigned the middle category or better to be rated as “well qualified" to receive special selection priority.


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