This is a Without Compensation (WOC) Research Biological Lab Technician (Animal) position with the Office of Research and Development (ORD). The VA Research Program strives to promote Veteran-centered care to improve patient experiences and outcomes across VA healthcare and community settings, and to advance value-driven care by providing Veterans the highest quality care at the lowest financial burden.
Summary
This is a Without Compensation (WOC) Research Biological Lab Technician (Animal) position with the Office of Research and Development (ORD). The VA Research Program strives to promote Veteran-centered care to improve patient experiences and outcomes across VA healthcare and community settings, and to advance value-driven care by providing Veterans the highest quality care at the lowest financial burden.
This is a Without Compensation (WOC) Research Biological Lab Technician (Animal) position with the Office of Research and Development (ORD) in Kansas City, MO. The incumbent will be responsible for the following:
Laboratory Duties - Assisting with laboratory studies and data analysis; performing and assisting with laboratory experiments, including cell culture and tissue section staining.
Animal-Related Duties - performing perfusion fixation of rodents; processing brains for histological examination; genotyping animals, including transgenic animals; and assisting with animal experiments, including gene delivery.
Molecular Biology Techniques - performing DNA gels and western blots.
Animal Welfare Oversight - collaborating with Animal Facility staff and the Principal Investigator (PI); and evaluating the health, well-being, and behavior of animals before, during, and after research experiments.
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
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.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/13/2026.
INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR) - All applicants must meet the IOR with one of the following criteria:
Specialized Experience:Experience must be related to the work of the position being filled. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
Research activity or control program work.
Nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment.
Work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position being filled.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENT - In addition to the IOR, all applicants must meet one of the below listed Minimum Requirement criteria. All claimed experience and education must be demonstrated on the applicant's resume and corroborated with copies of applicable transcripts.
Experience: six (6) months of general work experience and six (6) months of specialized experience performing the following duties:
Laboratory Duties - Assisting with laboratory studies and data analysis; performing and assisting with laboratory experiments, including cell culture and tissue section staining.
Animal-Related Duties - performing perfusion fixation of rodents; processing brains for histological examination; genotyping animals, including transgenic animals; and assisting with animal experiments, including gene delivery.
Molecular Biology Techniques - performing DNA gels and western blots.
Animal Welfare Oversight - collaborating with Animal Facility staff and the Principal Investigator (PI); and evaluating the health, well-being, and behavior of animals before, during, and after research experiments.
OR
Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of study with courses related to the work of this position.
OR
Combination: Equal combination of general/specialized experience and education, as described above. Equal combination in this case means six (6) months of general/specialized experience and one (1) year of study with courses related to the work of this position.
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; religions; 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.
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.
Physical Requirements: The work is predominantly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there will be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of items of moderate weight such as large binders, banker style file boxes, meeting materials, papers, books or small parts. Hand and eye coordination for delicate testing procedures may be the only special physical demand required to perform the work.
Education
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation here. All claimed education will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. See additional information here.
Additional information
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process as it pertains to the DVA, please review this document.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. If you are unable to apply online or require an alternate method to submit application documentation, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this job announcement.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact listed on this job announcement for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced federal and/or VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website here.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting-in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
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.
The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. This job announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies as needed.
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.
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.
Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
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.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: To be considered for this position, all applicants must provide a complete Application Package to include:
Resume
RESUME FORMAT AND LENGTH: Beginning September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update any resumes saved in your USAJOBS profile before applying for a job.
Resumes must include only information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying (see this link for more information). VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. All information must be legible and grammatically correct so that it may be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
Resumes must not contain the applicant's photograph, birth date or Social Security Number.
Resume files must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading the resume as a PDF to maintain the formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX) formats. We do not accept PDF portfolio files.
We recommend using a sans-serif font such as Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
We recommend making page margins 0.5 inches and using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point font size for the main text.
The USAJOBS Resume Builder can assist applicants in creating a resume using these recommendations.
Additional helpful hints in creating a two page resume:
VETERANS PREFERENCE: When applying for federal jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award Veterans preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
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.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online.To be considered for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/13/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application and all required documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
Kansas City ORD VISN 15
4801 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64128
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: To be considered for this position, all applicants must provide a complete Application Package to include:
Resume
RESUME FORMAT AND LENGTH: Beginning September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update any resumes saved in your USAJOBS profile before applying for a job.
Resumes must include only information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying (see this link for more information). VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. All information must be legible and grammatically correct so that it may be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
Resumes must not contain the applicant's photograph, birth date or Social Security Number.
Resume files must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading the resume as a PDF to maintain the formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX) formats. We do not accept PDF portfolio files.
We recommend using a sans-serif font such as Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
We recommend making page margins 0.5 inches and using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point font size for the main text.
The USAJOBS Resume Builder can assist applicants in creating a resume using these recommendations.
Additional helpful hints in creating a two page resume:
VETERANS PREFERENCE: When applying for federal jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award Veterans preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
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.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online.To be considered for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/13/2026 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application and all required documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
Kansas City ORD VISN 15
4801 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64128
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
