Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent APHIS employees with competitive status and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Participates with the NCAH Board of Directors in the application and execution of policies in the areas of safety, security, and select agent activities.
• Provides overall direction and supervision of unit staff of approximately 30 FTEs, which includes a combination of Federal employees and contract guard staff.
• Designated as a Responsible Official in accordance with CFR requirements for the Center Select Agent programs.
• Applies veterinary medical and/or microbiological expertise in overseeing safety programs responsible for ensuring that Agency and Program guidelines.
• Provides expert counsel concerning execution of policies/functions, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements governing activities and safety/biosafety/environmental programs.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to Center Programs, Supervisor, and the board on a wide variety of matters pertaining to biosecurity and safety.
• Ensures that security program policy and/or direction is developed, implemented, and evaluated in accordance with applicable Federal regulations and guidelines.
• Oversees all activities related to medical surveillance, employee health programs, and environmental safety programs.
• Supervising subordinates more than 25% of the time including, but not limited to, recruitment, selecting, appraising, rewarding, addressing performance problems, and fostering an inclusive workplace.

Conditions of employment

• 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.
• Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• 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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• In accordance with Office of Government Ethics regulations concerning conflict of interest, the incumbent will be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of their effective date of appointment and annually thereafter.
• 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.
• Works is typically performed in an office setting, but occasionally in laboratories where there may be unexpected hazards which require safety precautions including protective clothing.
• Work involves risk of exposure to contagious diseases of livestock and birds, to toxicants, and to unmanageable and highly distressed animals that may be health and/or safety hazards to humans and/or other animals.
• Periodically, the diagnostic workload during a disease outbreak may require considerable overtime.
• Regular duties may involve mandatory participation in rotating overtime work schedules, and import/export or other time-sensitive testing may be required in the evenings, on weekends, and holidays.
• Immunization against diseases being studied which are transmissible to humans may be required.
• Criminal Justice Information Services database check required for work involving Biological Select Agents and Toxins.

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.

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.

All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Biologist (0401): Degree: Successfully completed bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position;
OR
Combination of education and experience: post high school education with courses equivalent to a major, which is defined as 24 semester/36 quarter hours, in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience or additional course work. The quality of the combination must demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of the position and is comparable to that normally acquired through the completion of a full four-year course of study with a major as described above.

Veterinary Medical Officer (0701): All applicants to 0701 series must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below.

FOR THE 0401 AND 0701 SERIES GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Managing a biosafety (safety and health and biosecurity) program utilizing principles, concepts and methods of security, safety, and compliance administration.
• Developing, implementing, and evaluating an operational program which ensures regulatory compliance with biosafety, safety, occupational health, and select agent regulations, standards, and guidelines (including decontamination or inactivation issues and biological select agents or toxins).
• Serving as a subject matter expert on a collaborative task force to design new policies or methods for dealing with significant biosafety, safety, occupational health, and/or select agent compliance issues.
• Experience with institutional animal care and use committees (IACUC) or institutional review boards (IRB) or institutional biosafety committees (IBC) or Federal Select Agent Program forms and registrations (e.g. submitted protocols/forms or served on a committee).
• Creating, leading implementation, and providing training on safety or security regulations surrounding laboratory work.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information;2) education;3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
• 0401/0701 Series Transcripts are required. You must provide documentation outlined in the Qualifications section of this job announcement.
• Proof of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Degree or Equivalent:
  • A legible copy of college transcripts showing a conferred DVM degree from a veterinary medical school or college accredited by the AVMA Council on Education. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application. As an alternative, proof of possession of a current permanent unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States can be submitted as provisional proof of eligibility. If selected, an official college transcript showing a conferred DVM degree from a veterinary medical school or college accredited by the AVMA Council on Education will be required prior to entering on duty.
  • Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education must submit a copy of their DVM transcripts and required documents (i.e., proof of ECFVG certification; or copy of Veterinary license; letter documenting acceptance into an advanced degree, post graduate, residency or graduate program at an AVMA accredited veterinary medical school; AND an English proficiency score report documenting required acceptable minimum scores, from TOEFL, IELTS or CAEL) that prove basic qualification for this position as stated in OPM's qualification standards.
  • Applicants who are substituting education or advanced training for specialized experience must submit: 1) an unofficial transcript showing a conferred master's degree in a qualifying specialty or 2) a letter or certificate documenting the completion of at least two years of an internship, residency or fellowship in a specific discipline or specialty. All education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.
  • All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
  • Official transcripts will be required if selected for the position.
• Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees:
  • Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade. If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
  • Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (e.g., length of time in current position). A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute. Screenshots or printouts of electronic systems, including eHR Apps (ePMA), will not be accepted unless it is of the actual appraisal form with the end-of-year rating summary.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP or RPL, priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal, and the most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

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