What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chemist position at US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS)?
Duties
Summary
This position is located on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), located in Manhattan, Kansas. The mission of the Biologics Development Module (BDM) is to directly support and accelerate technology transfer of vaccines, diagnostics, biotherapeutics, and other veterinary medical countermeasures (MCM) for development to commercial veterinary biologic manufacturers and other partners.
Requirements
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. 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. In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: GS-09
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:
Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position; or its non-Federal equivalent that included experience participating in an experiment or research project in a laboratory setting; operating laboratory equipment; and performing laboratory analysis of biological samples. OR Education: Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related. Related degrees may include chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, analytical biochemistry, chemical engineering and pharmacology, and toxicology. OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-11
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:
Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position; or its non-Federal equivalent that included experience performing chemistry techniques in a laboratory setting; analyzing biological samples; and maintaining specialized laboratory equipment. OR Education: Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. Related degrees may include chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, analytical biochemistry, chemical engineering and pharmacology, and toxicology. OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.
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. Work Environment: The work is performed in an office and laboratories. The work involves exposure to the risks and hazards of harmful biological, chemical, and physical agents. The incumbent is required to adhere to special safety, health, and biosecurity regulations. Some work may involve wearing of personal protective equipment, including a respirator (N- 95 or PAPR), while entering infectious disease laboratories, engineering support areas, or animal facilities areas. Immunizations with vaccines may be required to enter facilities conducting work with human diseases. The incumbent may be required to occasionally wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or respirators, air pressurized suits, hearing protection, eye protection, boots, gloves, and coveralls. The health status of personnel is monitored periodically using biologic and serologic tests and physical examinations.
Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.
Summary
This position is located on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), located in Manhattan, Kansas. The mission of the Biologics Development Module (BDM) is to directly support and accelerate technology transfer of vaccines, diagnostics, biotherapeutics, and other veterinary medical countermeasures (MCM) for development to commercial veterinary biologic manufacturers and other partners.
Requirements
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. 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. In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: GS-09
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:
Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position; or its non-Federal equivalent that included experience participating in an experiment or research project in a laboratory setting; operating laboratory equipment; and performing laboratory analysis of biological samples. OR Education: Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related. Related degrees may include chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, analytical biochemistry, chemical engineering and pharmacology, and toxicology. OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-11
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:
Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position; or its non-Federal equivalent that included experience performing chemistry techniques in a laboratory setting; analyzing biological samples; and maintaining specialized laboratory equipment. OR Education: Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. Related degrees may include chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, analytical biochemistry, chemical engineering and pharmacology, and toxicology. OR An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.
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. Work Environment: The work is performed in an office and laboratories. The work involves exposure to the risks and hazards of harmful biological, chemical, and physical agents. The incumbent is required to adhere to special safety, health, and biosecurity regulations. Some work may involve wearing of personal protective equipment, including a respirator (N- 95 or PAPR), while entering infectious disease laboratories, engineering support areas, or animal facilities areas. Immunizations with vaccines may be required to enter facilities conducting work with human diseases. The incumbent may be required to occasionally wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or respirators, air pressurized suits, hearing protection, eye protection, boots, gloves, and coveralls. The health status of personnel is monitored periodically using biologic and serologic tests and physical examinations.
Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.