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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***
This position includes two domains of primary responsibly under the auspices of the R&D program: 1) Supervision of the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) Operations and Staff, which currently includes contract staff but may include VA employees in future years; and 2)
Coordination of the Institutional Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Essential job functions include protections related to laboratory animal welfare from the US Drug Administration (USDA), US Public Health Service (PHS), Code of Federal Regulations, Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, National Instituted for Health (NIH), VA and VHA Handbooks and Directives.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

IACUC Administration (40%)

• Oversee and coordinates the IACUC Committee to include scheduling and plans and organizes appropriate administrative committee activities and committee materials.
• Serves as the accreditation Facility Liaison, e.g., Association for the Assessment and
• Accreditation for Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC), human accreditation, etc.
• Oversee the protocol review process of multiple programs and committees ensuring projects are reviewed by. appropriate personnel, including the Information System and Security Officer (ISSO) and Privacy Officer (PO).
• Develop and manage required annual and semi-annual reviews of the assigned programs, to include Animal Care and Use Program (ACUP).
• Ensure animal research is reviewed, approved, and conducted in accordance with appropriate Federal, State and VA regulations and guidelines.
• Serve as the institutional contact to answer questions of Institutional Animal Care and Use regarding regulation and policy.
• Develops and identifies indicators, progress measures, objectives, and emphasis areas for the attention of R&D Leadership and staff.

Quality and Compliance (35%)

• Develop the Animal Care and Use Program to ensure that quality provisions and accreditation standards are planned, developed, and implemented.
• Analyze and evaluates each research project to ensure compliance with Federal and State regulations, including but not limited to VA, FDA, ORO, and other applicable regulatory and procedural requirements.
• Develop programs, policies, and procedures within the Research Office.
• Monitor quality assurance program implementation.

VMU Supervisor 25%

• Oversee the pre-clinical laboratory and animal facilities at the JJP VAMC.
• Ensure compliance of all facility procedures with established industry standards and regulatory and accrediting agency requirements.
• Perform direct supervision of VMU staff (which may include VA paid and contracted staff).
• Develop staffing plans based on demand for animal care and special core needs.
• Coordinates VMU quality assurance, sentinel, and quarantine programs.
• Identifies developmental and training needs of employees.
• Write applicable policies and SOPs that are needed for the proper functioning of the VMU/Veterinary Medical Unit facility with the IACUC.

Work Schedule: Monday-Sunday - rotational 8.5 hour tour schedule which includes weekends and holidays
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must meet the following:

Degree: Possess a bachelor's degree (or higher) in animal science, dairy science, poultry science; or a related discipline or field of animal science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, and 20 semester hours in animal science. For animal scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in courses dealing with the breeding, feeding, production, and management of livestock, and the care and preparation of their products*. Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Please ensure that your transcripts show that a degree was conferred. Display copies of degrees or course listings do not provide the information needed.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, including a minimum of 20 semester hours in appropriate animal science subjects, as described above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For animal scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in courses dealing with the breeding, feeding, production, and management of livestock, and the care and preparation of their products*. Education must have been obtained at an accredited. college or university. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be fully documented in your resume.
* Course work in animal science includes those subjects dealing with the specific kinds and classes of livestock, e.g., cattle, swine, sheep, or fur bearers, their breeding and development, nutrition, management, and utilization; and the qualities and uses of their products, e.g., meat, wool, or leather.

Note regarding Graduate Education: To be qualifying, graduate study must have been in animal, dairy, or poultry science; or in a specialized subject-matter area of science directly related to these sciences, such as feeds and feeding or nutrition, breeding, and development, physiology, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on one of the recognized specialized subject-matter areas of animal science.
AND
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, all applicants must meet one of the following minimum qualification requirements:

For the GS-11 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. Qualifying experience includes applying knowledge of animal science/animal husbandry to manage animal services for a laboratory research facility; performs work related to animal care and management, conducting policy and guideline reviews, and serving in an advisory capacity regarding research activities involving the use of animals and safety procedures for investigative purposes; ensuring compliance with appropriate laws and regulations; performing analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of a facility's research programs/policies and to recommend improvements, advising research leadership on the use of animals and safety procedures, preparing and maintaining accreditation applications, supervisory experience, . NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position.
OR
Education: Possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree in animal science or a related discipline or field of animal science that is directly related to the work and provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: Copies of transcripts are required at the time of application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
OR
Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position (as described above). Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.


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

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Compliance
• Decision Making
• Knowledge Management
• Partnering

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.