This position is being filled under a stream-lined hiring authority, Title 21 of the United States Code (21 US Code 379d-3a) as amended by the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, section 3072 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Section 3624. The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment and be paid under the provisions of this authority. This position is being recruited based on the Title 21 Pay Table 1, Band D.

Duties

The Branch Chief, Microbiological Hazards Science Branch serves as a senior scientific and technical expert and advisor for seafood, including shellfish, research programs and concerns. Provides scientific, and technical leadership and guidance in conducting research related to the biological or microbiological hazards and science associated with seafood. Establishes criteria and standards to ensure uniformity in the branch for the conduct of research and ensures laboratory work and research is in compliance with quality assurance standards and laboratory operation standards. Plays a major role in planning and developing branch research policy initiatives. Evaluates seafood products by using research literature and analytical data and applying policies and guidance when reviewing the extent of possible biological contamination to determine if food products are safe to consume.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment within the competitive service.
• Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
• FDA participates in e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service. Please go to http://www.sss.gov for more information.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• Financial Disclosure may be required.
• Ethics Clearance may be required.
• Background Investigation Requirement: All employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
• All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.
• Supervisory Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period.

Qualifications

The 21st Century Cures Act ("Cures" or The Act) grants the HHS/FDA the authority to appoint outstanding and qualified candidates to scientific, technical, or professional positions that support the development, review, and regulation of medical products. Such positions shall be within the competitive service. Candidates will be appointed and compensated without regard to Title 5 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) governing appointment in the competitive service. The Act further states the Commissioner of FDA may determine and set (1) the annual rate of pay of any individual appointed; (2) the annual rate of pay for any qualified scientific, technical, or professional personnel appointed to a position before the date of enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act. Based on the Act, it allows the FDA the authority to create and administer its own Alternative Pay System (APS) to recruit and retain qualified scientific, technical, or professional candidates to carry out mission-critical functions. Title 21 Overview: Passed by Congress in December 2016, the 21st Century Cures Act improves FDA's ability to recruit and retain scientific, technical, and professional experts in certain occupational series that "support the development, review, and regulation of medical products." FY23 Omnibus expanded to include crosscutting positions and individuals that support the development, review, and regulation of food and cosmetics in addition to medical products. Both statutes amended the FD&C Act 21 USC. As Title 21 continues to evolve, so do our recruitment and retention strategies. Title 21 utilizes alternative qualifications standards: Minimum Years of Experience and Job Families. Title 21 is not bound to the traditional OPM qualifications and classifications standards. In order to qualify for the Branch Chief Microbiological Hazards Science Branch position which falls under the 0403 occupational Series, you must meet the following requirements by 11:59 pm EST on 07/22/2024: Minimal Qualifications Requirements for the Branch Chief, Microbiological Hazards Science Branch, AD-0403 position: BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Title 21 Job Family Qualification Standards, Microbiologist, 0403 Occupational Series: A. Degree: A bachelor's degree or higher in biology, microbiology, or virology. The degree must be from an accredited program or institution. OR B. Directly related experience: The performance of scientific and professional work in the field of microbiology. Microbiology deals with the study of the characteristics and life processes of microorganisms, the interrelationships among microorganisms, their relationships to other living forms, and their reactions to the environment in which they are found. This includes: (l) work with the protozoa, bacteria, algae, fungi, viruses, rickettsia, microscopic parasites and similar microscopic and submicroscopic forms; (2) work in such fields as immunology, medical parasitology, physiology, serology, genetics, taxonomy, and cytology as they relate to microorganisms; (3) studies of the form, structure, reproductive processes, genetics, taxonomy, and cytology as they relate to microorganisms and the products of their chemical activities; (4) studies of the distribution of microorganisms in natural and manmade environments {including agricultural and nonagricultural products and food processing establishments), their reaction to physical and chemical factors in the environment, their role apathogenic and immunizing agents, and their isolation, cultivation, identification, and systematic classification; and (5) work that involves the development of scientific microbiological methods, procedures, and techniques, and the production and use of microorganisms in agricultural, industrial, medical, sanitary, and other practical applications. AND IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST ALSO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIGHEST QUALIFYING DEGREE: 1. Have a bachelor's degree and also have 5 years of relevant experience managing an organization with responsibility for conducting research to address seafood safety public health concerns; and advising on the applicability of rules, data to support compliance actions, or interpreting data. OR 2. Have a master's degree and also have 4 years of relevant experience managing an organization with responsibility for conducting research to address seafood safety public health concerns; and advising on the applicability of rules, data to support compliance actions, or interpreting data. OR 3. Have a Doctorate and/or J.D. degree and also have 2 years of relevant experience managing an organization with responsibility for conducting research to address seafood safety public health concerns; and advising on the applicability of rules, data to support compliance actions, or interpreting data. OR 4. Have a MD, DO, DDS, DPM, or DVM degree and also have 2 years of relevant experience managing an organization with responsibility for conducting research to address seafood safety public health concerns; and advising on the applicability of rules, data to support compliance actions, or interpreting data. OR 5. Have directly related experience outlined above and also have 7 years of relevant experience managing an organization with responsibility for conducting research to address seafood safety public health concerns and address compliance and enforcement needs such as advising on the applicability of rules, data to support compliance actions, or interpreting data. NOTE: Applicants must submit all relevant transcripts that demonstrate you possess the required education to meet the Basic Qualifications if using education to qualify for Basic Requirements.

Education

Pay careful attention to the Qualifications and Education sections to identify vacancies where a transcript is required. Even if you hold a similar position or are a current employee, you are not exempt from transcript requirements.

TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific educational requirements. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

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.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities, see the Foreign Education section below for additional requirements.

Electronic Transcript Caution: If you have obtained your transcripts electronically, the file might contain security measures that could prevent our application system from reading the file. Therefore, you should consider asking the institution to provide the file in a non-secured electronic format. Alternatively, you could scan or take a photo of the printed copy of the transcript. If your uploaded transcript cannot be read by our system, you may receive consideration and credit for the information we can access.

See the Application Manager Documentation for tips on submitting your paper-based documents.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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 the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

To be acceptable, the foreign credential evaluation must include/describe at a minimum, the following information: (1) The type of education received by the applicant; (2) The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Evaluation Standards Council; (3) The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad, and the standard obtained; (4) The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and (5) Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of the evaluator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery.

Note: Some positions require the completion of specific courses or a specified number of credit hours. Therefore, the foreign credential evaluation should provide information similar to that of an official transcript, to include a list of the courses taken, quarter and/or semester hours awarded, the cumulative grade point average (GPA), honors received, if any, date degree awarded.

Applicants can request an evaluation from a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services listed below:

1. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
2. Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE)

Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for the cost of the selected service.

For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

Contacts

• Address FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 10903 New Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20993 US
• Name: FDA Applicant Help Desk
• Phone: 866-807-3742
• Email: [email protected]