Duties

Summary

If you are interested in managing the diverse scientific and administrative aspects of a forensic toxicology laboratory, this job is for you! You will be a valued team member who directs and manages all activities of PSA's Office of Forensic Toxicology Services (OFTS), which performs the full range of .

Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
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Responsibilities

As a Supervisory Chemist or Toxicologist (Forensic) you will:

Direct and manage all activities of OFTS which performs the full range of forensic drug testing. Direct the implementation of systems and processes for the collection of urine and oral fluid samples to detect drug use in adult clients and defendants and juvenile respondents.

Manage long and short range planning for OFTS and establish program goals and objectives.

Provide expert consultation to the PSA Director, Deputy Director, and executive management of PSA and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA).

Represent PSA in DC Superior Court and US District Court, providing expert testimony on all phases of forensic drug testing and laboratory operations.

Direct or perform independent research and special studies in forensic drug testing and, based on results, determine changes in policy or protocol or other applications for OFTS.

Manage OFTS staff, who are divided into teams or units. Plans and assigns work, delegate responsibility, and establish priorities. Administer leave policies and other programs in accordance with affirmative action and equal employment opportunity requirements.

Identify, acquire and manage fiscal resources for OFTS, direct budget planning and execution, assure adherence to regulation and policy, and obtaining maximum cost efficiency.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Resume and Supporting Documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• All applicants are subject to a comprehensive criminal background investigation, and required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
• All federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
• Completion of a one-year probationary period is required, if not already completed.
• Status applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the close of this announcement.
• Bargaining Status: Not Covered

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirement, specialized experience and selective factor requirements below.

Selective Factor:

I have recent experience as a Director, Deputy Director, Technical Director or similar positions in a forensic toxicology laboratory. These positions included making decisions and/or controlled operations in a laboratory testing facility. The laboratory testing facility should have performed high volume testing where the candidate provided frequent testimony and/or interpretation of results of testing for court and court officials.

Basic Requirement:

For Chemistry Series 1320: A) I have a degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR B) Combination of education and experience, course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours of chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education; ANDC) One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-14 grade level that equipped you with the skills needed to perform the job duties.

For Toxicology Series 415: A) I have a degree in toxicology; or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology; AND B)One year (52 weeks)of specialized experience at the GS-14 grade level that equipped you with the skills needed to perform the job duties.

Specialized Experience:

Specialized experience is defined as managing and directing all phases of a forensic toxicology laboratory that performs the full range of forensic screening and confirmation analyses to detect drug use; providing interpretation of data, drug pharmacokinetics and drug pharmacodynamics to the court, law enforcement or criminal justice agency leadership and staff; and providing expert testimony on all phases of forensic drug testing operations.

Supervisory experience also includes assigning work, providing technical oversight, developing performance plans, evaluating performance, attracting new talent, taking disciplinary measures, ensuring EEO implementation, and facilitating professional development for a workforce.

NOTE: Your resume must clearly show how you meet the specialized experience requirement and the selective factor associated with this position. Failure to do so will result in an "Ineligible" rating.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

1. If you are an eligible Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.

2. If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former Federal employee who has reinstatement eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" and/or a copy of the SF-50 that reflects career or career-conditional tenure, or you will not be considered under the merit promotion process. Also, you should submit your most recent performance appraisal.

3. Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act of 1998: Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active duty service may apply. If you are applying under this provision, please submit a copy of your DD-214 (unedited long version).

4. If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

5. You can apply for a non-competitive appointment if you meet the basic eligibility requirements and you are eligible for special appointment such as those authorized for the severely disabled; certain Vietnam era and disabled veterans; returned volunteers from the Peace Corps or Vista , etc. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking, if any, on your application and follow all other instructions for applying shown in this announcement.

6. Reasonable Accommodation, this agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis.

7. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review in our office, in other Federal agency personnel offices, and on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

8. Equal Opportunity Employer: The Pretrial Services Agency is an equal opportunity employer. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status or other non-merit based factors.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on your responses to the job specific information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly show how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities will result in a rating of "Qualified" by the rating panel.

1. Skill in direction of forensic toxicology laboratory operations.

2. Ability to deliver expert testimony using rules of evidence and to serve as the Agency's scientific expert on forensic toxicology relevant to the detection and effects of illegal or illicit drugs.

3. Ability to lead and coach staff.

Once the application process is completed, your application will be reviewed to ensure you meet the job requirements. You will be evaluated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training, job related awards and supervisory appraisal of your performance. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your resume will be forwarded to a panel for evaluation. Category Rating will be used to evaluate applicants using the following categories to further determine which applicants will be referred to the selecting official for final consideration.

Best Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level on all evaluation criteria.

Well Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level on evaluation criteria.

Qualified: Applicants possessing the specialized experience described above.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume, including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents: Optional cover letter
3. College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
4. Most recent SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service)
5. Most recent performance appraisal, if applicable
6. DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under veteran hiring authorities
7. Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
8. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

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.