This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Plains Area (PA), at the Center for Grain & Animal Health Research in Manhattan, KS. In this position, you will be responsible for performing a wide range of duties involved in the operations, maintenance of colonies of midges, mosquitos, house flies, and other insects and providing insects of the proper species, developmental stage and quality for research projects.

Duties

Provides expertise concerning the activities of the insectary operations. Manages the operations of the Insectary and Cell Culture Laboratory (ICCL). Maintains colonies of midges, mosquitos, house flies, and other insects. Maintains equipment and instrumentation in top working condition, performing routine preventative maintenance and minor repairs. Selects the appropriate methods and procedures and/or develops alternative methods for standardized procedures as needed to solve problems. Assesses insectary supply, operations and equipment needs and develops recommendations on addressing needs and resolves issues.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born 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
• Motor Vehicle or Commercial Drivers license required.

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: Applicants must have one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Degree: entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major that included course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Applicants with major fields of study in biology, zoology, or invertebrate zoology may fully meet the basic educational requirements if their academic preparation included substantive instruction (including appropriate laboratory and field work) in basic general entomology, taxonomy, physiology, ecology, general and organic chemistry, general physics, and mathematics or statistics that provided some training in the analysis of variables. AND In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: experience maintaining colonies of insect vectors of animal diseases; planning research projects related to entomology; performs and assists others in scientific procedures in field, laboratory, greenhouse, and containment settings; planning and conducting individual experiments; performs tests and analyses by applying established analytical methods and procedures; and analyzing and compiling research data for presentation. OR Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Related degrees may include entomology or plant pathology. 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 Agricultural Research Service 2150 Centre Avenue Building D, Suite 300 Fort Collins, CO 80526 US
• Name: Robert Green
• Phone: (703) 259-9392
• Email: robert.green2@usda.gov