As the Lead Biological Science Laboratory Technician for the Laboratory Resources Unit of National Veterinary Services Laboratories you serve as a team leader for a staff of technicians who prepare and distribute media and solutions, clean, sterilize, and distribute laboratory glassware and metal ware, and provide other laboratory support services.

Duties

The duties may include, but are not limited to: Primary trainer for employees and serves as an informational resource for other media production technicians. Coaches, facilitates, solves work problems, i.e. outbreaks and emergency orders and participates in the work of the team. Provides information to the supervisor on performance of the team and individuals including attendance and behavioral problems. Prepares procurement requests for media components and unique media production supplies for submission to the Laboratory Support Supervisor. Maintains an adequate inventory of glassware, chemicals and disposable supplies necessary to prepare media and reagents. Receives request for media and reagents from a specially designed computer system. Reviews the formula and procedures for making the requested media or reagent and resolves any obvious errors or omissions with the originator of the request. Orders and assembles necessary supplies, material, equipment and apparatus required for the preparation of media and reagents. Performs quality assurance tests (pH determination, temperature determination, etc.) on inprocess materials and final product.

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/.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• The normal physical demands may include walking, standing, bending, reaching and pushing and lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Personal protective gear may be required such as laboratory coats, safety aprons, gloves, safety glasses/goggles, fume hoods or masks.

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-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 grade level) that demonstrates: Training technicians in media production. Prioritizing work tasks such; media production, data entry, reviewing documents, training tasks to meet laboratory, supervisor and mission needs. Interacting with other team members regarding communication of expectations, identifying and resolving errors in production, coordinating workload while performing everyday job duties. Identifying and resolving problem situations on own initiative while performing everyday job duties. OR at least one full year of graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in a degree program related to the work of this position; OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND 1) have a class standing in the upper third of the graduating class, 2) membership in a national scholastic honor society (excluding Freshman honor societies), or 3) must meet certain GPA requirements. GPA requirements: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcripts or as computed based on 4 years of education, or courses completed during the final 2 year of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required course completed in the major field or courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum (GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, e.g., 2.95 rounds to 3.0 and 2.94 rounds to 2.9). 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. You are qualifying for this position based on Superior Academic Achievement. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 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: MRP Human Resources
• Phone: 612-336-3227
• Email: [email protected]