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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

NOTE 1: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 13 months). Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration (more than 1 year but not more than 4). Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition (up to the 4-year maximum). The appointment to a Term position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Handles lab animals in compliance with federal, state and local regulations, guidelines and policies pertaining to laboratory animals;
• Understands, follows, and reviews standard operating procedures involved in operation of the aseptic animal facilities;
• Assists with maintaining a program of animal health monitoring by recognizing clinical illness and/or irregularities in laboratory animals;
• Performs proper animal identification techniques and maintains accurate identification records;
• Performs the following techniques independently: euthanasia according to established procedures, preparation and administration of prescribed medications by various routes of administration, and collection of biological samples;
• Uses, cleans, maintains standard laboratory equipment;
• Documents data/observations promptly, legibly and accurately per VHA and Federal Record policies, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be required to serve a probationary period
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal Service. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Qualifying specialized experience include research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. ~OR~

EDUCATION: Successfully completed six (6) months of graduate education or an internship in a field of study directly related to the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Coursework includes in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, animal husbandry, or agriculture. NOTE: A copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience as described above to meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. NOTE: A copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Accountability
• Animal Husbandry
• Research
• Technical Competence

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.