This position is vital within the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the facilities where research programs are conducted. Data science provides the link between highly innovative projects and the care that Veterans receive. This position will be located in various Agency-level program offices within the VA.

Duties

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-07, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Duties: Maintains the laboratory, facilities equipment, and supplies. Maintains and controls laboratory records. Incumbent is responsible for presenting the data to the supervisor in a logical and systematic fashion. Develops and maintains detailed records of all experimental or other protocols. Determines compliance with safety requirements. Establishes inventory and equipment maintenance requirements and maintains appropriate inventories and maintenance schedules. Maintains laboratory stock and orders materials as needed. Maintain laboratory in a clean and safe condition according to agency or accreditation requirements. Calibrates and maintain Laboratory instrumentation on timely intervals so as to minimize breakdown and delay of procedures. Conducts work according to laboratory Safety regulations and instructs coworkers and graduate students on safety policies and procedures. Functions as primary point of contact for implementation of safety regulations and safe working conditions and is accountable to supervisor to report conditions and progress on eliminating discrepancies. Monitoring equipment function can include weekend and /or holiday checks. Maintains and control laboratory records. Uses standard aseptic procedures and safeguards. Controls contaminated or potentially dangerous specimens in accordance with accreditation agency requirements. Performs advanced laboratory assays, which may include but is not limited to, Western blotting, fluorescent imaging, and immunocytochemistry, tissue and cell culture, ELISA techniques, DNA isolation and purification, preparation and analysis of RNA, Southern blots, etc.), kinase and signal transduction assays. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Telework: Not Authorized Position Description Title/PD#: Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)/PD15939A Physical Requirements: The work is in a laboratory setting requiring walking, standing, sitting, typing and some lifting.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/20/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Please clearly state your experience in resume. For the GS-05 Grade Level you must meet one of the options below to be found eligible for this grade level: Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) year of experience specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal Service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. 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. This specialized experience also includes basic knowledge of technical methods and procedures related to biological sciences, management practices; knowledge of basic theories and practices of biological sciences to assess readings and measurements taken, tests executed, observations made, work completed, samples collected; knowledge of biological, chemical, and radiological techniques or assays and related tasks as required by experimental protocols; knowledge of biohazard and radiation safety standards, policies, directives, Material Safety Data Sheets and how they are applied in the laboratory environment; knowledge to operate complex equipment systems such as those with numerous components or parts which must be calibrated and synchronized to achieve desired results. OR Education Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work. OR Combination: 3 months of general experience, 6 months of specialized experience AND have completed education in excess of 2 academic year above high school to meet the total experience requirements to qualify for this position (must possess at a minimum 30 semester hours above the second year). NOTE: This experience must be supported by your resume to be creditable, and a copy of transcripts are required at time of application. For the GS-06 Grade Level you must meet the following experience: Applicants must possess one (1) year of experience specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal Service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. 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. This specialized experience also includes basic knowledge of technical methods and procedures related to biological sciences, management practices; knowledge of basic theories and practices of biological sciences to assess readings and measurements taken, tests executed, observations made, work completed, samples collected; knowledge of biological, chemical, and radiological techniques or assays and related tasks as required by experimental protocols; knowledge of biohazard and radiation safety standards, policies, directives, Material Safety Data Sheets and how they are applied in the laboratory environment; knowledge to operate complex equipment systems such as those with numerous components or parts which must be calibrated and synchronized to achieve desired results. For the GS-07 Grade Level you must meet one of the options below to be found eligible for this grade level: Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) year of experience specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal Service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. 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. This specialized experience also includes knowledge of animal physiology, anatomy, restraint and handling; knowledge of laboratory animal examination techniques to identify disease and pathological conditions; knowledge of Public Health Service (PHS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) recommendations; knowledge of laboratory technical methods and procedures to assist the employee in carrying out a variety of technical duties; knowledge to operate complex equipment systems; knowledge of biological, chemical and radiological techniques or assays; knowledge of experimental instruments and equipment; knowledge of HIPAA, Privacy Act of 1974, Biosafety, chemical safety, general safety, information security, emergency preparedness. OR One (1) full year of graduate education after bachelor's degree completion. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: BiologyInterpersonal SkillsResearch

Education

A transcript must be uploaded if basing some or all of your experience on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Continued from the Qualification Section of this announcement:
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.

Note: 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.

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/.

Physical Requirements: The work is in a laboratory setting requiring walking, standing, sitting, typing and some lifting.
Work Environment: The work involves exposure to irritant chemicals and reagents, and work with radioactivity and biohazardous agents. Safety precautions are required, and the incumbent uses protective clothing and gear such as a laboratory coat and gloves.

Contacts

• Address Ann Arbor ORD VISN 10 2215 Fuller Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 US
• Name: Khadijah Holley
• Phone: 6312789051
• Email: [email protected]