About the Position: This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for STEM Positions and Cyber Security and related positions' to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. Incumbent serves as a Chemist [Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS)] assigned to the Certification Section, Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory (FTDTL), Fort Meade, Maryland.

Duties

Conduct and analyze scientific testing performed by lower graded scientists and providing scientific validation of results. Interpret the chromatography and quantitative confirmation results from the highly specific analytical instrumentation in relation to testing human urine aliquots for selected drugs of abuse or drug metabolites. Ensure compliance with Federal Law and established laboratory quality control and quality assurance criteria and ascertain the identity and accuracy of quality control specimens in both screening and quantitative analytical reports. Determine the disposition of specimens whose chain of custody documents contain errors or omissions, in accordance with acceptable practices and sound judgment. Initiate special testing requests and/or requests for testing that is completed at other laboratories Prepare and certify memoranda required for the different types of validity and steroid testing. Read, comprehend, and interpret scientific journal reports, studies, and articles in the field of forensic urine drug testing to maintain current expertise in the execution of their duties. Understand and apply of pharmacokinetics for various drugs that enables them to, in the course of expert testimony, present scientific information in a manner understandable to the lay person.

Requirements

• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 25% or less of the time.
• Certification as a Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS) is required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. This job is open to the public. U.S Citizens are eligible apply to this job as well as the eligible categories below: Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician EligiblePriority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability RetirementPriority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job. For GS-11: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) assisting in the conducting and analyzing of scientific testing to provide scientific validation of results; 2) assisting in the analyzing of complex scientific testing results, screening and confirmation; 3) interpreting the quantitative results from the highly specific analytical instrumentation (such as gas or liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer) to test human urine samples for selected drugs of abuse or drug metabolites; 4) utilizing in-depth knowledge of the field of chemistry, pharmacokinetics and toxicology to solve problems. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Chemistry, Physics, Calculus or a similar field. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements: Degree: 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 Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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.

Contacts

• Address M1-W6F215 US ARMY MEDICAL ACTIVITY DO NOT MAIL Fort Meade, MD 20755 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk