Basic Qualification Requirements:
For Biologist, GS-401:A. Have at least a bachelor's degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. Have a combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
For Health Scientist, GS-601:
Have a least a bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.
For Physical Scientist, GS-1301:
A. Have at least a bachelor's degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.
OR
B. Have a combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
For Chemist, GS-1320:
A. Have at least a bachelor's 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. Have a 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.
AND
Additional Qualification Requirements: In addition to meeting the Basic Qualification Requirements candidates must also:For Interdisciplinary Scientist, GS-401/601/1301/1320-13:Have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service that includes experience applying sciences such as biology, biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, physical sciences, health sciences in one of the following areas:
1) Conducting or assisting programs for developing or evaluating medical countermeasures (MCM) such as a vaccine, drug, biologic, diagnostic device or test, or a manufacturing platform;
2) Conducting or assisting strategic, operational, or tactical planning or policy development, or program implementation for natural disasters or chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) or emerging infectious diseases (EIDs);
3) Conducting or assisting strategic, operational, or tactical planning or policy development, or program implementation for MCMs to any of the CBRN+EID threats;
4) Performing or assisting requirements analysis and development, e.g., DOD requirements, HHS requirements or other types: functional, performance based, allocated, materiel requirements, etc.;
5) Participating in operational disaster responses (e.g., public health or emergency medical), evaluating/developing literature, developing strategies that support disaster or terrorism or EID outbreak response and advising decision-makers.
Documenting experience: In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated 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; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.
