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Computer Scientist/Geneticist

Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
BIOSYSTEMS AND BIOMATERIALS DIVISION
This job announcement has closed

Summary

NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Computer Scientist/Geneticist to join our team!

This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/08/2023 to 05/21/2023
Salary
$78,592 to - $122,459 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 3
Location
Gaithersburg, MD
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - 2 Years
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
3
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MML-644-23-11956076
Control number
723819900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens and Status Candidates (this includes Merit Promotion, Status Candidates, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, EVHO, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Americorps, Peace Corps, Vista, Interchange Agreement Eligibles, and National Guard).

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Duties

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Support programs in human genomics under Precision Medicine and Engineering Biology by developing robust, reproducible bioinformatics workflows to create and evaluate benchmarks. Plans development of genomic reference materials by analyzing and managing many types of genomic data with limited supervision. Requires the consideration of precedents and use of judgment to assess strengths and weaknesses of sequencing methods. The incumbent will collaborate with human genomics team members and external collaborators to share expertise across different types of sequencing data from DNA and RNA. The work will advance genomic measurements for the human genomics program, with applications in precision medicine and biotechnology.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

For 0440:
Degree: genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics.
Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as agronomy, horticulture, animal, dairy, or poultry husbandry, entomology, microbiology, plant pathology, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology that involved cross-training in genetics is qualifying, provided it placed sufficient emphasis on genetics.
Evaluation of Education: Most students in the field take graduate work because specific training in genetics may be limited at the undergraduate level. Under these circumstances, it may be necessary to evaluate undergraduate course work in genetics in one of two ways, as described below, to determine whether or not it is qualifying.

  1. Courses dealing with genetics, some phase of genetics, or specific techniques that are applied in genetics work are acceptable. This includes courses in genetics, plant or animal genetics, molecular and cellular biology, mathematics and statistics (as they apply to genetics), population dynamics, and certain techniques such as those dealing with irradiation.
  2. Course work consisting of an appropriate combination of basic courses in genetics and cytology or statistics are also acceptable.

For 1550:
Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.


IN ADDITION: To qualify, applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level (or ZP-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience with bioinformatics research related to genomics, including proficiency in using command-line tools and at least one programming language to analyze genomic data.

OR

Master's or equivalent graduate degree

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application.

The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.

Applicant Reconsideration

Education

This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.


Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.

Additional information

This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). The APMS is a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Find out more about the APMS here!

A trial period may be required.

This appointment may be extended up to four years without further competition.

We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:

  • Telework
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid vacation
  • Sick leave
  • Family-friendly leave
  • Child and elder-care resources
  • On-site childcare center
  • Lactation spaces
  • Wellness programs
  • Fitness center
  • Employee assistance programs

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position.

All applicants that meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked and veteran's preference does not apply.

CTAP and ICTAP Eligibility: To be eligible for CTAP or ICTAP consideration, you must submit the required documents to establish eligibility (see required documents) and meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be contacted to provide a response to assessment questions related to the position. To be considered CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you must receive a well-qualified score of at least 85 of out 100 on your assessment responses. Additional information may be found at: CTAP/ICTAP.

Resume Guidance
Evaluation Process

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