Lab Assistant Job in Lebanon, NH

Vacancy No. DP-12625239-25-ES-VG Department Agricultural Marketing Service
Salary $40,430.00 to $63,441.00 Grade 8 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/13/2024 Close Date 12/19/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Lebanon, NH


Summary

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Dairy Program, Federal Milk Market Administrator falls under the Excepted Service.

This position will be filled in the 1311 Lab Assistant series.

Duties

As the Lab Assistant in this position, you will:

  • Assist laboratory supervisor with laboratory performance as directed.
  • Assist laboratory staff in laboratory duties.
  • Perform routine laboratory duties for preparation of milk samples and packaged product testing.
  • Analyze data using spreadsheet and graphical analysis to produce test reports.
  • Visit farms, dairy plants, milk hauler facilities and stores to obtain milk samples.
  • Interact with dairy industry representatives to coordinate dairy testing.
  • Participate in the quality management system.
  • Maintain dairy lab equipment and an orderly, safe laboratory environment.
  • Work effectively in a team environment.
  • Professional collaboration with staff and industry.
NOTE: This position falls under pay bands MA 08 - 15 . Selectee's pay will be set between the MA 8 -10 pay bands based on years of education and/or experience.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen
  • You will be required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Legal and regulatory guidance below).
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • There is a required one-year probationary period.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • The selectee's pay will be set between pay bands MA 08 - 10
  • Valid driver's license and clean driving record (copy of driving record may be requested)
  • Relocation expense is not paid; applicants are responsible for any relocation expenses.
  • Must be able to regularly lift 50 pounds.
  • Safely work in a laboratory environment and milk house on slippery floors with varying temperatures, noise levels, and smells.
  • Occasional overtime required.
  • Regular local travel and infrequent overnight travel required. Mileage, lodging and per diem paid as applicable.
  • Regular and recurring handling of hazardous chemicals.
  • You may be required to pass a physical exam prior to the start of employment at the employer's expense.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

Professional Experience Qualification Requirements:
General Experience (MA 8-9)- Applicants must have 6 months or more of general experience required for the grade level (MA 8 - 6 months; MA 9 - 1 year). This experience may have been obtained in a laboratory or field environment in one of the physical sciences or a closely related discipline which provided some of the basic knowledge or skills involved in one or more of the following: (1) gathering, recording, and assembling scientific data; (2) using scientific instruments to measure degrees, weights, strengths, etc.; (3) setting up and operating test methods; and (4) evaluating quantitative data. The guidelines used to perform the work are specific and detailed and the work is repetitious.

OR

General and Specialized Experience (MA 10 or higher) - In addition to the 1 year or more of general experience(listed above) , applicants for the MA-10 grade level and above must have 6 months of specialized experience performing technical work in one of the physical sciences, or in a closely related field, such as experience as a laboratory technician when the work was performed in close association with a chemist or other physical scientist and provided the applicant with an intensive knowledge of scientific principles, methods, and techniques. The guidelines used to perform the work may have required some deviation or adaptation to specific circumstances and required to use some judgment in their application.

OR

Education: Applicants must have successfully completed studies in an accredited college or university above the high school level to substitute for general experience at the rate of 1 year of undergraduate education (i.e., 30 semester or 45 quarter hours) for 1 year of general experience (up to a maximum of 3 years of undergraduate education for 3 years of general experience) Note: 2 years of undergraduate education meets the requirement for MA-10.


Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Volunteer or unpaid experience: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education Requirements: You must provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

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 click here. You must provide translated transcripts.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

Dairy Program offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.

If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

The applicant must be a high-school graduate, 18 years of age or older, have a valid driver license, and provide proof of insurability. You must be a U.S. citizen. Males born after 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; or may be fired after you begin work; and you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361. Privacy Act Notice (PL93-579)

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any specialized experience and/or selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, your application is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year) and duties performed for each position held.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire.
3. Transcripts if qualifying based on education OR education is part of the basic education requirement
4. Veterans documents (if applicable): DD-214 including character of service, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days, and if applicable, SF-15 Form, VA letter, or other documentation required by that form.

If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.

If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application, occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To view the occupational questionnaire select https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12625239

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

To begin, click Apply Online. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.

You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Agency contact information

Vanessa Perkins-Glover
Address
Agricultural Marketing Service
USDA, AMS, Dairy Program
1400 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position, and whether or not your application is referred to the selecting official. You will be contacted directly if further evaluation or an interview is required.

You will be notified via email of your application status at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You may check your application status by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking "Application Status".

The amount of notices that each applicant receives may vary. The four points of notification are:

  • Application Received or Application Incomplete
  • Minimum Qualification Requirement Met/Not Met
  • Eligible (Application Referred) or Eligible (Application Not referred)
  • Selected or Not Selected


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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