In this position you will report to the NVSL Supervisory Equipment Specialist and provide technical oversight, training, support, and mentorship to laboratory staff in the calibration, repair, troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance of a wide variety of listed and non-listed biological laboratory equipment and other electrical, mechanical optical and timing devices.

Duties

The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. Utilizes precise measurement standards in performing calibrations to ensure traceability, reproducibility and maintains traceability to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Develops and coordinates the workflow of calibration activities, equipment calibration and preventive maintenance schedules. Organizes and collates information and/or data from records and other sources to assemble and summarize data for reports including reports for management reviews, trend spotting, and analysis.Insert Major Duty/Responsibility Here Maintains calibration documentation that ensures accuracy, legibility, traceability, security and retrievability. Calculates or interprets specifications and/or tolerance limits for equipment and instruments, and/or adjusts same to the required/established tolerance level. Assists in planning/conducting of internal audits according to NCAH, PIADC and/or NBAF policy and procedures. Assist in development, implementation, and coordination of the calibration and repair laboratory's quality assurance program. Compiles information and provides documentation to the customers to meet their regulatory requirements and maintain their compliance with accepted quality standards. Recommends vendors who are certified to calibrate NCAH and NBAF equipment and ensures certificates/ documentation contain adequate traceability and certification information.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• Immunizations may be required.
• Work involves sitting, walking, standing, bending, working near hot steam pipes, and carrying of items of varying weight up to 50 pounds.
• Work requires a high degree of dexterity and manipulations associated with the operation and calibration of laboratory equipment.
• May involve prolonged periods of continual and precise equipment manipulations, including tedious and repetitive motions.
• Work is performed in an office, laboratory, warehouse, or outdoor facilities and may be performed in close quarters in the proximity of live steam pipes.
• May be exposed to hot and cold conditions, high noise levels, armful biological, chemical, and physical agents, and disagreeable odors when working around animals and steam sterilizers.
• Protective devices such as gloves, goggles, face mask, or respirators may be required. Facial hair restrictions may be required to comply with proper operation of personal protective equipment.
• Criminal Justice Information Services database check required for work involving Biological Select Agents and Toxins.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Experience with calibration tasks related to two of the following types of equipment: Autoclaves, thermocyclers, mass calibration management and/or pipettes; Experience working with computerized systems for tracking and reporting calibration test results as part of a quality management system. Identifying technical processes involving standard operation procedures and consultation with scientific staff; Assisting and collaborating in the production of quality assurance documents related to calibration, housekeeping processes, and drafting Standard Operating Procedures, Worksheets, and Forms. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree in mechanical engineering, statistics, physics, math or a closely related field or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA APHIS MRPBS 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401 US
• Name: APHIS Human Resources
• Phone: 612-336-3227
• Email: [email protected]