Duties

Summary

This position is a non-supervisory technical position located in the Research and
Development Service laboratory area of the VA Maryland Healthcare System, and in officially approved offsite Research laboratory space located at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in which VA-approved research takes place. The incumbent will participate in a VA Merit Award funded Research project pertaining to VA approved research protocols that investigate Melanocyte Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine.
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Responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to:

Laboratory Duties:

• Carrying out laboratory experiments under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI).
• Preparing and maintaining cell cultures, transfecting cells with plasmids, running DNA gels and western blots, and processing rodent tissue for histological examination.
• Assuring that all duties involving scientific operations be carried out with accuracy.
• Detecting and reporting to the principal investigator any unusual experimental developments and suggests either new or remedial protocols.

Tissue Processing and Histology:

• Collecting animal tissue, performing perfusion-fixation of rodents, and staining cells and brain tissue sections for histological examination of the animal disease model.

Animal Work:

• Assisting in carrying out experiments and procedures on laboratory mice according to protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee. This includes gene delivery experiments, and genotyping of transgenic animals.
• Helping to evaluate the health, well-being, and behavior of the mice before, during and after research experiments.

Record Keeping and Administrative Duties:

• Maintaining records of mice breeding and genotyping. Maintaining laboratory records and notebooks of experiments and results.
• Submitting required documentation, supply and equipment orders through the proper Research and Development Service office for processing.
• Receiving newly purchased supplies and equipment relevant to the laboratory studies and certifying that these undamaged and inacceptable condition.
• Maintaining laboratory supply, chemical and equipment inventories, and maintenance of equipment in the laboratory.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - - 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)/PD21011O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
5

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• 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
• This is a Term Appointment - Not to Exceed two years.
• Protective clothing or equipment such as coats, goggles, gloves, fume hoods, or sterile barriers are routinely required.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/24/2021.

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 this GS5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS4. 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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: One year of full time (40 hours per week) experience must have been related to the work of the Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal) position. The specialized experience required for this position is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to:
• Collecting animal tissue, performing perfusion-fixation of rodents, and staining cells and brain tissue sections for histological examination of the animal disease model.
• Carrying out experiments and procedures on laboratory mice according to protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee that include gene delivery experiments, and genotyping of transgenic animals.
• Helping to evaluate the health, well-being, and behavior of the mice before, during and after research experiments.
• Experience in basic principles of laboratory and animal research and husbandry in order to make observations and understand significance of results.
• Maintaining records of mice breeding and genotyping.
• Maintaining laboratory records and notebooks of experiments and results.
• Submitting required documentation, supply and equipment orders through the proper Research and Development Service office for processing.
• Receiving newly purchased supplies and equipment relevant to the laboratory studies and certifying that these are undamaged and in-acceptable condition.
• Maintaining laboratory supply, chemical and equipment inventories, and maintenance of equipment in the laboratory.
• Your experience (including beginning/ending dates) must be clearly listed in your resume.
• 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 scientific or technical 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 research.
• Transcripts must be included with your application.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Animal Husbandry
• Biology
• Communication
• Research

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.

Physical Requirements: Some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking bending to observe, collect or record research data. The nature of the job in the laboratory may also call for special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination.

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/ .

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ .

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

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.