This position is located in the Research Department Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) at the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System in Omaha, NE. The Supervisory Biological Laboratory Technician (Animal) is responsible for managing the Animal Care Facility, which includes providing husbandry and healthcare to research animals, providing operational and technical support to biomedical program animal studies involving animal subjects, and providing education and training in animal techniques.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include: Maintains responsibility for the organization, management and supervision of the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) and its staff Ensures compliance with Federal and American Association of Accreditation for Laboratory Animal Care International, Inc. (AAALAC) regulations Provides technical and administrative supervision to animal care technical support staff Develops performance standards and evaluates work performance of assigned staff Identifies and provides for training needs Coordinates purchases for all animal subjects, equipment, supplies and services based on Principal Investigators' research needs and availability of space Maintains a variety of species in appropriate settings, ensuring work is performed with moral and ethical responsibility for the well-being and welfare of the animals Assists investigators with technical procedures involving operative and autopsy techniques, gross pathology techniques, and special breeding and feeding methods Performs and oversees preliminary physical examinations of animals arriving at the VMU Collects a variety of biological substances for chemical, microbial or serologic tests Provides prescribed nursing and health care to animals, and makes daily rounds to observe, evaluate and record progress of animal patients Recognizes and reports abnormal health and behavioral conditions In conjunction with the Veterinary Medical Officer, advises and monitors investigators in the selection and administration of appropriate anesthetics, analgesics and tranquilizers to laboratory animals Performs as a highly skilled technologist, assisting during major complex animal surgical and non-surgical procedures Recognizes, identifies, and interprets life threatening or emergency situations and immediately decides proper action Oversees the daily animal husbandry care of research animals, and monitors staff for compliance with applicable procedures Assists in the preparation of various reports and document Performs risk assessment of hazards in the VMU and incorporated them into the local protocol and program Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL, YOU MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-8) in the Federal government. Specialized experience is experience performed in a controlled environment where you applied extensive knowledge of research animal husbandry and healthcare; provided assistance in managing the day-to-day operation of an animal research facility; ensured compliance with regulations regarding the care and use of laboratory animals, and the conduct of animal research; provided prescribed nursing and health care to animals; maintained complete and accurate husbandry records of all animals and procedures; and applied analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration and resolution of factual and/or procedural issues or problems impacting the safety, viability, accreditation, and funding for animal research. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a master's degree that is directly related to the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of graduate education and specialized experience, as described above. Note: only education in excess of the first 1.5 years of progressively higher-level graduate education is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Animal HusbandryBiologyLeadershipTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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. Physical Requirements: Requires both regular and recurring walking, bending, and carrying of moderately heavy equipment (less than 50 pounds). Must be able to assist other personnel with unloading heavy feed and bedding bags and pushing or pulling very heavy stainless-steel mobile caging units (hundreds of pounds on wheels). Requires agility and hand-eye coordination. Work Environment: The work environment contains no windows, concrete floors, high security with limited access to outside people, strong odors, dirt, dust, animal dander and waste, chemical hazards, physical hazards, secluded workspace, and potential exposure to animal bites and scratches. Some of these conditions require the regular use of specific personal protective equipment such as gowns, gloves, shoe covers, face masks, eye protection, heat protection (gloves) and hearing protection. 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

IMPORTANT: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Omaha ORD VISN 23 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE 68105 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]