Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Mass Spectrometer Data Center Group, BMD, MML, NIST in Gaithersburg, MD.

Are you ready to explore your future with NIST?

Your application package may be shared with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like the one you are applying to. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first 100 applications are received or August 13, 2019, whichever comes first.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The incumbent will work in a position that involves the operation of gas chromatography mass spectrometers (GC MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometers (LC-MS) for the creation of Standard Reference Data; and will also maintain the administration of a chemical database of tens of thousands of compounds. S/he will operate the mass spectrometers under general technical guidance from the supervisor or his designate for the creation of Standard Reference Data as well as maintain the extensive computerized chemical inventory for the NIST Mass Spectrometry Data Center.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• You must be suitable for Federal Employment
• Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable

Applicants must meet requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Qualifications

To qualify, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-08 level (or ZT-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience writing computer scripts in Perl or Python to analyze mass spectral data.

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.

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains Federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the OPM website located at http:///www.opm.gov/qualifications

Applicants may request reconsideration of their qualifications determination within three business days from the date their applicant status was changed. Applicants should email the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement with their written request listing the announcement number; explaining why the original determination was improper; what factors were not considered; and, should provide any other pertinent information that would enable reevaluation.

Education

Additional information

A probationary period may be required.

This position is covered by an Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). This system replaces the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and grade with career paths and pay bands. For information regarding how the pay bands correspond to the General Schedule, click here.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.

Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

* Ability to accomplish practical laboratory tasks (e.g. accurately weighing chemicals on a balance, dissolving them in common solvents, and performing basic single-step chemical reactions on the solutions)

* Knowledge of the basic principles of organic chemistry

* Skill in operating a mass spectrometer

* Knowledge of chemical structure drawing, organic chemical nomenclature, and related chemical identifiers

* Skill in writing computer code in a major programming language such as Python or C++

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the information on the following link to determine if there are any documents you need to provide - https://www.nist.gov/careers/applying-jobs-required-forms

Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Official documents are not required at the time of application, copies are sufficient. If selected, official documentation must be submitted prior to appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

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.