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Biological Science Lab Technician (Animal)

Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service, Field Organization, Pacific West Area, Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit in Dubois, ID.

The technician identifies the work to be done to fulfill project requirements and objectives, plans and carries out the procedural and technical steps required in the study of agricultural animals.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/05/2021 to 04/19/2021
Salary
$39,311 to - $56,790 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Dubois, ID
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
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-S21Y-11071249-AC
Control number
597365900

Duties

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  • Care for and ensure the well-being of agricultural animals in a commercial-scale setting.
  • Estimate nutrient needs for various physiological stages of agricultural animals and formulate diets to meet nutritional needs.
  • Assign animals to treatment groups according to the experimental design.
  • Perform routine and recurring techniques and studies using laboratory equipment.

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
  • 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/
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Motor Vehicle or Commercial Driver's License Required.
  • Special Physical Requirements/Demands.

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.

At the 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 participating in an agricultural animal research study; collecting and evaluating animal or biological samples; organizing and proofing phenotypic genetics data; and operating laboratory or field 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 may include Veterinary Science, Zoology, Animal Science, Animal Genetics, Animal Husbandry/Management, or any related biological science degree, provided that the coursework places an emphasis on agricultural animals.

OR

A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education directly related to the work of the position as stated above.

At the GS-07:
Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 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 participating in agricultural animal research studies; collecting and evaluating animal or biological samples; organizing, proofing, and uploading phenotypic data to genetics databases; using breeding indexes to develop breeding plans to accomplish sheep genetics goals; operating laboratory or field equipment; and recording and analyzing research results and data.

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 may include Veterinary Science, Zoology, Animal Science, Animal Genetics, Animal Husbandry/Management, or any related biological science degree, provided that the coursework places an emphasis on agricultural animals.

OR

A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education directly related to the work of the position as stated above.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking or bending. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a work day) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. In other situations, there may be special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination.

Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., working with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals or working outdoors. The employee is required to use protective clothing such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves

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.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

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.

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:

Animal Science, Applies Technology to Tasks, and Research

  • Animal Science
  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • 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/11071249

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