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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***

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Conducts formal rigorous laboratory and office space inspections on a quarterly basis to ensure that the research environment is safe for employees.
• Serves as the primary contact person for the Logistics Department for performing the annual VA-owned equipment inventories.
• Establishes the monthly schedule of inventories, coordinates with Logistics staff and individual Responsible Officials for performing inventories, as well as personally performing inventories as necessary.
• Ensures that all laboratory staff have appropriate attire and have identification badges while in the research buildings; serves as a source to obtain proper personal protective equipment.
• Ensures the physical plant operates for the safety and comfort of staff and research animals by immediately responding to performance issues with water supply and distribution, HVAC system, electrical distribution and water processing systems.
• Notifies Facilities Management on emergent infrastructure issues as well as developing temporary solutions to maintain continuity of operations.
• Performs safety assessments of the research environment including building perimeter security which includes operable cardkey access doors, permanently locked alarmed doors, windows, and rooftop access.
• Oversees hands-on training of all investigators and staff at routine intervals and not less than annually for all matters regarding biosafety, safety, and research security.
• Drafts Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for training of all investigators and their research staff in specific chemical hazards, physical hazards, Life Safety and Disaster Response.
• Assists in special projects, facility grants projects, or other matters pertaining to the Greater Los Angeles biosafety, safety, and research security program.
• Drafts and maintains the Disaster Response Plans and Continuity of Operations Plan.
• Exercises responsibility for annual or other specific reports dealing with any aspects of biosafety, safety, and/or research security to VA Office of Research & Development (ORD), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), VA Office of Research Oversight (ORO), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or other regulatory or oversight organizations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• 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)

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: You must possess a bachelor's degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this a Health Science Specialist - Research. Note: Transcript(s) must be submitted at the time of application. Please ensure that your transcripts show that a degree was conferred in the appropriate field. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

~ AND ~

Specialized Experience Requirement: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal service, demonstrating mastery and application of professional knowledge in one or more scientific disciplines such as biochemistry, biology, chemistry, physiology, molecular biology, biosafety engineering, or a related field. This experience must include work involving all or most of the following: biosafety, radiation safety, environmental and chemical safety, laboratory equipment management, and research space or building security. The applicant must also demonstrate technical familiarity with research involving blood or tissue that may carry blood-borne pathogens, hazardous chemicals (e.g., acids, flammables, toxins, or carcinogens), laboratory gases, and radioactive materials or radiation-producing equipment. Experience must include familiarity with experimental design, laboratory organization or construction, and the ability to train others in safety protocols. The applicant must have experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams including research investigators, laboratory staff, medical center personnel, and external reviewers or inspectors within a research or healthcare environment.


A Quality Ranking Factor* has been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for a position. The quality ranking factor for this position is: "A doctoral degree (PhD) in the biological sciences." This degree is preferred, as it typically provides the scientific foundation to support advanced audit and compliance activities.

*Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor.

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

• Compliance Inspection
• Project Management
• Quality Ranking Factor
• Technical Competence

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.