The USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity is seeking a Biosafety Staff Scientist located in Madison, WI to support the USGS-wide biosafety program with specific duties on-site following biosafety best-practices along with USGS directives and Federal Select Agent requirements. As a biosafety staff scientist, some specific major duties include:
Develops and oversees biosafety policies, procedures, training, guidance, and tools to biological research with high-risk pathogens, including select agents.
Implements and evaluates scientific and safety-related laboratory practices, including test procedures, specimen management, and high-risk work with select agents, and oversees operations to ensure compliance with applicable policies and regulations. Develops and maintains SOPs, training, and other documentation to support safe, efficient, and effective laboratory operations.
Serves as the primary liaison between on-site laboratories, USGS leadership, and Select Agent Program personnel to coordinate health and safety activities. Plans and implements a comprehensive health and safety program for applicable facilities, and maintains required records of inspections, incidents, resolutions, and employee training in accordance with USGS policies and regulations.
Participates in laboratory facility reviews and risk assessments, laboratory equipment and facility certification, specialized decontaminations, and responses to emergencies involving biological and chemical agents.
Conducts site-specific safety training and drills for laboratory and supervisory personnel to improve microbiologic practices, biosafety, and regulatory compliance, including requirements of the Federal Select Agent Program. Maintains ongoing communication with external emergency responders (fire, police, and medical teams) to support coordinated response in the event of an emergency.
Professional accreditation as a Certified Biosafety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety through ABSA International is desirable but can be achieved after onboarding and training is complete. Successful candidates for this position must be willing to learn new subject matters, work independently to ensure the safety and well-being of USGS staff and animal subjects, be able to quickly shift work priorities to accomplish emerging needs, use questioning and influence to guide discussions, be adept at multiple levels of effective communication (i.e., written, verbal, presentation, training), be willing to take on any task no matter how big or small, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, value collaboration, and be adept at using influence to reach consensus.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
Qualifications
BASICEDUCATIONREQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Biologist, all grade levels.
A. Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
*OR*
B. Combination of education and experience--courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above.
For GS-12:
In addition to the basic education requirements as stated above, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equal to the next lower grade level.
Examples of experience at the GS-11 level may include: Experience performing research with biological agents in a laboratory and/or field setting; experience leading and supporting biosafety practices in a scientific research environment at multiple biosafety levels (e.g., BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, ABSL); experience providing training and guiding scientists through risk assessments and policy interpretation; experience evaluating hierarchy of controls to ensure safety when working with biological agents; experience complying with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules; professional accreditation as a Certified Biosafety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety through the Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity (ABSA International) is preferred.
For GS-13:
In addition to the basic education requirements as stated above, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equal to the next lower grade level. Examples of this experience may include, but are not limited to:
Examples of GS-12 level work may include: Experience performing research with biological agents in a laboratory and/or field setting; experience developing and leading a biosafety program in a scientific research environment at multiple biosafety levels (e.g., BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, ABSL); experience developing policy, training, and risk assessments; experience applying hierarchy of controls in novel situations involving biological agents; experience implementing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules; professional accreditation as a Certified Biosafety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety through the Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity (ABSA International) is preferred.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.
Education
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.
Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:https://www.usgs.gov/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs
Conditions of Employment for this Position:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1- year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
This Probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.
Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Additional information
Other Information:
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies in the advertised office or other U.S. Geological Survey offices in the local commuting area.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
As part of the application process, a series of four short essay questions will be included. Applicants must certify that their own words were used to answer the questions.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
Agency Benefits:
USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
--Basis of Rating: The Government-Wide direct hire authority for GS-0401 Biological Sciences is being used to fill this position. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and minimum qualification requirements will be referred for consideration.
--Resume Length:
Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
Resume
--Resumes are required and will be limited to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or other written form, then you must describe your job-related qualifications, including: beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience; hours worked per week; month and year of employment for each job title listed; annual salary; and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name; and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here.
Supporting documents
--Upload any supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments
Transcripts
--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
--If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
--Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
--Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4)Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6)Submit required documents. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
OFC OF SCIENCE QUAL AND INTEGRITY
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Mail Stop 600
Reston, VA 20192
US
Next steps
--Additional Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position and score above the cut-score based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire, you will be contacted via email and asked to provide narrative responses to questions that are specific to this job. The narrative response questions include the following:
Describe your experience working in a biological or biomedical laboratory. Include in your response the following: techniques used, your role in the laboratory, involvement in experimental design and/or troubleshooting (i.e., equipment, assays, or other challenges).
Describe your experience conducting or participating in a risk assessment or job hazard analysis to safely mitigate the risk of occupational exposure to infectious biological agents. Include in your response the following: steps taken, stakeholders involved, and risks identified and how they were mitigated.
Describe your experience presenting complex information (e.g., data sets, experimental methods and findings) to audiences with different levels of experience, communication styles, or scientific backgrounds.
Describe your experience providing technical training to co-workers in a laboratory or field setting. Include how you developed the training, topics covered, and method used for trainee evaluation.
The email will include the instructions and deadline in which the responses must be submitted. A subject-matter-expert(s) will use these narrative responses to further evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position. Failure to submit this information upon request will result in your disqualification from further consideration.
--If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
Resume
--Resumes are required and will be limited to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or other written form, then you must describe your job-related qualifications, including: beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience; hours worked per week; month and year of employment for each job title listed; annual salary; and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name; and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here.
Supporting documents
--Upload any supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments
Transcripts
--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
--If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
--Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
--Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4)Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6)Submit required documents. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
OFC OF SCIENCE QUAL AND INTEGRITY
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Mail Stop 600
Reston, VA 20192
US
Next steps
--Additional Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position and score above the cut-score based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire, you will be contacted via email and asked to provide narrative responses to questions that are specific to this job. The narrative response questions include the following:
Describe your experience working in a biological or biomedical laboratory. Include in your response the following: techniques used, your role in the laboratory, involvement in experimental design and/or troubleshooting (i.e., equipment, assays, or other challenges).
Describe your experience conducting or participating in a risk assessment or job hazard analysis to safely mitigate the risk of occupational exposure to infectious biological agents. Include in your response the following: steps taken, stakeholders involved, and risks identified and how they were mitigated.
Describe your experience presenting complex information (e.g., data sets, experimental methods and findings) to audiences with different levels of experience, communication styles, or scientific backgrounds.
Describe your experience providing technical training to co-workers in a laboratory or field setting. Include how you developed the training, topics covered, and method used for trainee evaluation.
The email will include the instructions and deadline in which the responses must be submitted. A subject-matter-expert(s) will use these narrative responses to further evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position. Failure to submit this information upon request will result in your disqualification from further consideration.
--If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
