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Biological Science Laboratory Technician

Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located on United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Field Organization, Midwest Area, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology in Peoria, IL

This position involves one or more phases of the research process by performing a variety of complex technical duties and contributes ideas towards the planning and sequencing of the technical aspects of the research.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/23/2020 to 05/05/2020
Salary
$34,916 - $50,598 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Peoria, IL
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ARS-S20Y-10794623-MB
Control number
565965500

Duties

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  • Assist with collecting, preparing, evaluating, and verifying plant, barley, or malt samples and supporting records.
  • Assist in evaluating plant components using enzyme analysis or extraction techniques
  • Maintain records, locate, and compile data and other information from various sources.
  • Tabulate and summarize data using personal computers and computer software packages.
  • Perform routine and recurring techniques and studies using a variety of specialized equipment such as Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines, DNA extraction equipment, RNA extraction equipment, or growth chambers.
  • Assist with the cultivation and management of wheat and/or barley in greenhouse, growth chamber, or field experiments.
  • Assist with pathology assays using the plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum, practicing sterile technique, inoculations, and disease assessments
  • Maintain inventory of chemicals, prepares solutions, media, and reagents for use in the laboratory, and safely disposes of waste material (both chemical and biological).
  • Assist in the collection and processing of wheat samples, using techniques such as wheat milling and fractionating samples.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. For this position, specialized experience requirements for this position are:

GS-05:
Qualifying experience for GS-05 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-04 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting with plant-related research in a field or greenhouse environment; collecting and analyzing plant samples; and using standard biological research equipment or systems.
OR
Education: Successful completion of a four-year course of study leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, Entomology, Animal husbandry, Botany, Physics, Agriculture, or Mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. Related degrees or courses may include Agronomy, Agricultural sciences, Ecology, Molecular biology, Plant biology, or Botany.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above


GS-06:
Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience in plant-related research in a field or greenhouse environment; collecting and analyzing plant samples; maintaining and calibrating standard scientific biological research equipment.
OR
Education: One full year of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees or courses may include Agronomy, Agricultural sciences, Ecology, Molecular biology, Plant biology, or Botany.
OR
A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above

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.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • Biology
  • Research


Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10794623

Agricultural Research Service

ARS
Find Solutions to Agricultural Problems that Affect Americans Every Day, From Field to Table.

Agency contact information

Stefanie Cruz
Phone
703-259-9373
Email
stefanie.cruz@usda.gov
Address
Agricultural Research Service
5601 Sunnyside Ave
Beltsville, MD 20705
US

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