Duties

Summary

This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent will be responsible for serving as the Strategic Trends Division's (SI-STT) biological subject matter expert (SME) responsible for detailed analysis on highly technical biological matters including biological weapons, biotechnology, biosecurity, biodefense, microbiology, virology, genomics, immunology, and technical processes involving the weaponization of biological materials.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Interdisciplinary Biologist/Microbiologist at the GS-0401/0403-13/14 some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Focuses on emerging threats and technology in the biological arena and from state and non-state actors, with a predominant focus on microbiology, virology and immunology.
• Expertly conducts technical analysis in support of strategic trends initiatives, including generating strategic threat assessments, biotechnology forecasts and other analytical products.
• Characterizes the emerging battlespace relative to anticipated changes in the WMD threat terrain and its supporting networks, the evolution of the operational environment, and/or anticipated mission impacts due to the realization of specific high priority or high consequence biological threats.
• Generates sound, actionable, and intelligence-informed analytical forecasts of emerging biological trends and their impact on the Department, the Interagency and National Security concerns.
• Analyzes, and articulates CWMD strategies at the tactical (local), operational (regional) and strategic (international) levels of warfare. Serves as a representative of the Agency for interaction within the Department of Defense (DoD), the Interagency, and other International partner entities on strategic threat trends matters.
• Expertly reviews research white papers, proposals, and reporting in support of the Strategic Trends Research Initiative (STRI) to ensure accuracy and realism in the research portfolio.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• 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
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime/Compensatory Time: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Not Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position is telework eligible
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance
• Subject to pre-employment drug testing and periodic drug testing thereafter

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service:

• Assisting with the performance of research/development, production, storage, or threat mitigation in the areas of biological weapons, microbiology, virology, immunology, genomics

You may qualify at the GS-14, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service:

• Performing research/development in biological weapons, microbiology, virology, immunology, or genomics
• Participating in the production, storage, or threat mitigation of biotechnology

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.

In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0401 OR 0403 series.

Individual Occupational Requirements, 0401

Basic Requirements

Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/general-natural-resources-management-and-biological-sciences-series-0401/

Individual Occupational Requirements, 0403

Basic Requirements

Degree: microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/microbiology-series-0403/

*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application, however ALL TRANSCRIPTS SUBMITTED MUST HAVE OFFICIAL SCHOOL AND STUDENT IDENTIFICATION ON THEM OR THEY WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED and you will be disqualified from consideration.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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: Foreign Education

Additional information

Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: http://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Competencies:

• Analysis of Complex Biological Trends
• Analyzing foreign state and non-state actor programs using the full-spectrum of data sources, from closely-guarded intelligence to publicly shared information.
• Design and Execution of Multi-year Research Projects

Based on the results of this evaluation, you will be placed in one of the following quality categories:

Best Qualified: This highest category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s), as determined by the job analysis.
Highly Qualified: This higher category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s) as determined by the job analysis.
Qualified: This lowest category will be used for those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications of the position, including all selective placement factors and appropriate quality ranking factor(s) and are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position. Candidates may require extensive training and/or orientation in order to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Category-Rating

Names of the candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent first to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Applicants in other categories will be referred in accordance with category rating procedures.

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are entitled to veterans' preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Qualified veterans' preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on the position and grade level of the job.
For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are claiming military spouse preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed below preference eligible veteran candidates and above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist , save the document and attach it to your application package.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc).
Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

The following documents are REQUIRED:
1. Your resume:

• Your resume may be submitted on any format. It must include your name and contact information and support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
• For qualifications determinations your resume must contain the number of hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., "HRS per week and month/year to month/year" or "HRS per week and month/year to present").
• For additional information see: What to include in your resume

2. Transcripts:

• This position has a degree or education requirement so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript
• College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.

3. Veteran's Documents:

If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents

• DD214 showing character of service (SERVICE-2 OR MEMBER-4), SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.

PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK OR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/FourthEstateRequiredSupportingDocumentation%205-4-2020.pdf?ver=2020-05-07-140551-783

If you are claiming Military Spouse Preference, you must submit supporting documents with your application package. These documents must provide acceptable information to verify: you reside within the commuting area of your sponsor's permanent duty station (PDS); proof of marriage to the active duty sponsor, proof of military member's active duty status, and other documentation required by the vacancy announcement to which you are applying; and must meet all pre-employment criteria and be eligible for immediate noncompetitive appointment to a position in the competitive service. Documentation required: Marriage Certificate or License, Signed Self-Certification Checklist, Veterans' Preference documentation (e.g., DD-214, VA Letter, Statement of Service, if applicable), Transcripts (if applicable). Additional documentation required if previously held a federal position: SF-50s (e.g., LWOP, highest grade held, overseas appointments, etc.), SF-75 Information, and documentation of performance rating of record (dated within the last 12 months)

For More Information: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo.pdf

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.