Serves as a Biological Science Laboratory Technician by providing a variety of support for the research laboratory and the research program, overall in the office of the Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development (ACOS/R), Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (BPVAHCS), Bay Pines, FL.

Duties

Responsible for animal care and assisting with coordinating the VMU daily operations under the direction of the VMU Supervisor. Provide extensive knowledge of animal research technique, veterinary medicine theory, procedures, concepts, principles, and methods used in support of researchers and veterinarians within a Research Facility. Assist in a broad range of complex animal procedures and surgeries on laboratory animals (mostly rodents) and provide post-operative or post- procedural care. Maintain VMU/laboratory facilities, equipment and supplies. Ensure safe and humane processes are used with critical concern for the donor, for the quality of the specimen, and uses standard aseptic procedures and safeguards. Perform test and examination procedures for diagnostic, surveillance, experimental and reference samples. Organize and execute protocols. Conduct tests to determine the viability or toxic reactivity of the specimen to external stimuli after isolation and purification. Perform preliminary microscopic evaluations of specimens before and after experimental use to verify precise procedures. Serves as and/or assist the administrator(s) for the research committee(s) and/or subcommittees to ensure regulatory compliance and completeness and maintains complete records for all protocols. Monitor studies for instances of non-compliance, in which the incumbent will report to service leadership. Provide broad administrative support to the ACOS/R, AO/R, VMU-S, the Research Committee Administrator(s), research investigators and their staff. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00; weekends, evenings and holidays required Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)/PD110570 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/14/2023. 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 a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Specialized Experience: Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Research activity or control program work. Nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment. Work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement, you may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: managing laboratory supplies; maintain research equipment; collect, analyze, and prepare report; and keep experimental records and safety documents in proper format and folders in accordance with the VA regulations and requirements. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ComplianceQuality AssuranceResearchTechnical Competence 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: The work involves considerable walking and slight physical effort. Other activities will involve standing for extended periods and considerable bending, and carrying of light items. Some situations may involve moving modestly heavy equipment such as animal caging and equipment, using appropriate mechanical assistance (cart, dolly, etc.). The incumbent will typically work a regular Monday-Friday tour of duty, but the position will require flexible time for VMU animal care during holidays and weekends, when animal studies are being conducted. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address CW Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard Bay Pines, FL 33744 US
• Name: Necory Smith
• Phone: 608-372-3971 X63901
• Email: [email protected]