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Microbiologist (Biosafety)

Department of Defense
Defense Health Agency
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), a subordinate research laboratory under the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, is the lead medical biological defense research laboratory for the DOD Chemical Biological Defense Program. For additional information about USAMRIID and Fort Detrick, please visit http://usamriid.health.mil and http://www.detrick.army.mil.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/11/2025 to 02/18/2025
Salary
$46,148 to - $131,826 per year
Pay scale & grade
DB 2
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fort Detrick, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—As determined by the agency policy. MAY be eligible for situational Telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "Unscheduled Telework".
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
HQKF256027379691
Control number
830928600

Duties

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  • Provide biological safety and biohazard analyses for research and support operations required to complete the mission of the Institute.
  • Assist with developing and conducting biological safety training for biosafety level -2, -3, and -4 (BSL-2,3,4).
  • Manage and maintain biosafety training records as required by Federal, State, DoD, DHA, and local regulations.
  • Assist with laboratory inspections to ensure compliance with safety/biosafety requirements and identify potential hazards as well as controls for mitigation.
  • Attend and participate in biosafety meetings and committees representing Risk Management Office.
  • Review and edit Standard Operating Procedures, research protocols, and scientific publications and review/conduct risk assessments for these procedures to ensure staff safety and compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.
  • Assist with maintaining incident records, evaluating for potential trends, and recommending corrective actions.
  • Maintain personal protective equipment inventory and place orders as required.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Appointment to this position is subject to a three-year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirement.
  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required. Security.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
  • The duties of this position meet the criteria for compliance with Drug Free Workplace Programs. Detection of the presence of drugs is warranted. The position is subject to pre-employment drug test screening, and random testing.
  • This position has been designated "Mission Essential". In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
  • Incumbent must participate in the Biological Personnel Reliability Program (BPRP).
  • Incumbent must participate in the Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP).
  • Employee may be subject to stand by and or on call duty; night and weekend duty including holidays; and irregular tours of duty.

Qualifications

USAMRIID is participating in an alternative personnel system known as the Personnel Demonstration Project (PDP). The DB-02 payband is equivalent to the GS-05 step 1 to GS-12 step 10 level, HOWEVER management has elected to announce at the higher end of the pay band (GS-09 to GS-12). In keeping with the Demonstration pay fixing policies, employees earning a salary that falls within this payband equivalent, will not receive an immediate pay increase (promotion) if appointed to this position. Future pay increases within the payband will be accomplished through the pay for performance management system.

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected.

  • Current Civilian Employees of the Defense Health Agency (DHA)
  • Current Permanent Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employee
  • Current Term Defense Health Agency HQs Research and Development Employee
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Reinstatement
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent.

OR

B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: (1) Working in or inspecting biocontainment laboratories; (2) Working in a regulated environment; (3) Interpreting regulations and institutional policy; AND (4) Supporting a biosafety program in a laboratory research environment. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Microbiology, Biology, Molecular Biology.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Biological Hazards
  • Risk Assessment
  • Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Hazard Control

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Three year probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees..
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • Incumbent must obtain and hold Biological Personnel Reliability Program (BPRP) enrollment pursuant to the requirements of the Army Biological Surety Program. Individuals must maintain a current certification of enrollment in the BPRP as a condition of eligibility for continued employment. The BPRP is a suitability and reliability program operated by the agency and requires the employee to submit to and satisfactorily complete suitability and reliability screening and analysis. As a condition of employment, employees in this position must also be approved by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice for access to laboratories containing biological select agents and toxins pursuant to the terms of 42 CFR Part 73.
  • Incumbent works in containment suites with highly hazardous infectious agents and toxins and is required to participate in then Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP), IAW with AR 40-5 and DA Pam 385.69. The OHSP monitors worker health and provides vaccinations aimed at additional protection above personal protective devices. Individuals who have a medical condition that precludes receipt of a FDA licensed vaccine or who otherwise decline to receive said vaccinations will not meet the conditions of employment for this position.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

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