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Biologist

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Secret Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Joining the Secret Service, Office of Technical Development and Mission Support, Technical Security Division, you will be responsible for providing a technically secure environment for the President, the Vice President and other designated protectees at their residence as well as all locations in which they may be temporarily located. For more information on the Secret Service click here.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/21/2022 to 11/03/2022
Salary
$89,834 to - $138,868 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Announcement number
TEC-NHP015-23-DH
Control number
684705200

Duties

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The selectee will serve as Biologist in the Office of Technical Development and Mission Support, Technical Security Division. Typical work assignments include:

  • Serving as a Biologist on specialized projects and collaborates with internal and external stakeholder.
  • Testing, evaluating, and developing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBNRE) detection and mitigation systems. Utilizing a wide variety of highly technical and advanced sample collection tools, hazards detection systems, decontamination products, and best practices to allow for improvement in hazards screening and mitigation capabilities.
  • Preparing operational and maintenance specifications and guides for end-uses. Developing standards and test plans to assure reliability of system performance throughout its life.
  • Providing training and technical briefings to end-users regarding the use, installation, maintenance, and basic troubleshooting of equipment. Negotiating with others with differing or opposing views to resolve the technical aspects of controversial decisions concerning highly unstructured and interconnected problems which involve both unique technology and programmatic treatments.

This Biologist position starts at a salary of $89,834 (GS-12 step 1), with promotion potential to $164,102 (GS-14 step 10).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment:

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

  • Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
  • Submit to a polygraph examination prior to your appointment.
  • Financial disclosure report required.

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Qualifications

You must meet the basic requirement(s) for this position. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Individual Occupational Requirement (IORs) for the Biologist Series, 0401 are as follows:

Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE ABOVE BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING SPECIALIZED EXPEREINCE: 

GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 level (starting salary $89,834) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level performing duties such as: providing information on the impact of biology and biological properties on analytical technologies; assisting with developing methods or techniques to evaluate data obtained from validation studies; and assisting with evaluating developments in the biological sciences field.  

GS-13: You qualify for the GS-13 level (starting salary $106,823) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level performing duties such as: conducting biological tests and/or procedures using methods and techniques; modifying protocols and procedures in response to test or study finding; using scientific equipment and materials to conduct scientific projects; and evaluating development in the biological sciences field.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

Please see the Individual Occupational Requirements (IORs) refenced in the "Qualifications" section.

Additional information

Building on a Tradition of Excellence and Meeting the Challenges of the Future The Secret Service is a premier law enforcement organization with two critical national security missions: protect our nation's leaders and to conduct criminal investigations. Our team members continue a tradition of excellence - whether investigating financial crime or protecting national and visiting foreign leaders. In the Secret Service, we serve the country with duty, loyalty, justice, integrity and courage. In the Secret Service, we:

  • Protect the President, the Vice President, and other leaders; investigate threats against them; and safeguard their residences and other facilities
  • Plan and implement security designs for National Special Security Events
  • Investigate financial crimes including fraud, identity theft and computer-based attacks on banking or telecommunications infrastructure

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

E-Verify Statement: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Click here to learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

It is federal government policy not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties through no fault of their own. For more information on this subject click here.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

This position may require a credit check after initial job qualifications have been determined.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

How you will be evaluated

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

"This announcement is being filled using the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) direct-hire authority.  Agencies may appoint candidates directly to jobs, without regard to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C.3309 through 3318.  Applicants who meet the basic requirement and specialized experience for the position will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.  Veterans’ preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the announcement.” The answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. 

Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered.  If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified.  The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

  • Biology
  • Written Communication 
  • Oral Communication

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. Information about ICTAP eligibility can be found by clicking here to access OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must meet the basic requirement and specialized experience as described above for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.


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