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Chemist

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Summary

These positions are located in the Chemistry Branch of the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) Field Service Laboratories: Eastern Laboratory, Athens, GA.

This announcement will be used to fill multiple Chemist positions for a period of 90 days from the date of this announcement closing.


THIS JOB IS OPEN TO


The public


Duties

This position is being announced at multiple grade levels. Candidates selected at lower grade levels will perform duties with less independence and more supervision as they learn and progress. At the full performance level, you will independently plan and carry out all aspects of chemical analysis on a variety of meat, poultry, egg products, and Siluriformes in a high throughput diagnostic regulatory food testing laboratory. Interpret and evaluate results of your analysis and compare the results to pertinent agency regulations to determine whether samples are violative. Defend and/or explain your analysis and evaluation by completing a thorough justification to your Supervisor and/or other OPHS officials. Assess and make recommendations to changes in standard operating procedures when necessary, to better align broad guidelines specified under the ISO 17025 quality assurance program. Perform all analytical procedures associated with detecting chemical residues in meat and poultry products including sample preparation, extraction, analysis, and data processing. Operate, troubleshoot and repair various types of instrumentation used in the analysis process (GC, UPLC, LC-MS/MS).Apply an in-depth understanding of the interrelationships between the analysis process and instruments/equipment used. Apply ISO 17025 accredited quality assurance procedures to instruments, equipment, reagents, and standards. Communicate with personnel from all segments of FSIS (field employees, technical service center employees, plant personnel, FSIS managers, and representatives from industry).Utilize an electronic laboratory information management system to process and record analysis results for review and authorization.


Requirements


Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check and must pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
  • To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/


Qualifications

Applicants must meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified below.

Specialized experience requirement: In order to meet the specialized experience requirement, you will need to have completed 52 weeks of progressively responsible specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level. This experience may be gained under GS, PHHRS, another pay band system, or any combination of GS, pay band, or other experience.

To qualify at the GS-5: Applicants who meet the basic education requirements are fully qualified for the GS-5.

To qualify at the GS-7: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Includes performing progressively more responsible food and residue chemical analyses, or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular competencies needed to perform the duties. Must demonstrate good organizational skills to ensure that work is done accurately and within stated time frames.

OR 1 year of graduate-level education.

OR superior academic achievement-click here S.A.A.

To qualify at the GS-9: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Experience must include food or residue chemistry performance, the capability to assume additional responsibility and ability to perform required tasks at the next higher level. Excellent organizational skills must be present to ensure that work is done accurately and within stated time frames.

OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters or equivalent.

To qualify at the GS-11: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Experience must include food or residue chemistry performance and must include performing more independently when completing increasingly complex food and residue chemistry analyses and troubleshooting instrumentation. Must have excellent organizational skill to complete multiple tasks accurately and within stated time frames.

OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D.

OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. 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, knowledge, and skills 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


Basic requirement: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in the 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 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.


Additional information


SALARY:

Athens, GA:
GS-5 Salary: $38,117.00 to $49,551.00
GS-7 Salary: $47,216.00 to $61,376.00
GS-9 Salary: $57,755.00 to $75,083.00
GS-11 Salary: $69,878.00 to $90,837.00

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s).

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).

It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. To see more information visit CHCO Council.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

More information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses and Schedule A Disabled may be found on the USAJOBS website.


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 window
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.
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Only those highly rated by the subject matter experts will be referred to the selecting official. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience, and the result of the preliminary resume and education (if applicable) review required for this position. Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the pre-certificate evaluation.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail,
Chemistry,
CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING,
Self-Management,
Teamwork,
Technical Competence,
Technology Application

In addition to the online questionnaire, applicants for this position will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts. If a panel is conducted, subject matter experts may review your resume and other application materials to determine your qualifications and assign a rating based on the required competencies. Please ensure that your resume does not simply list job duties, but also highlights accomplishments that demonstrate possession of the required competencies. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and assessment questionnaire, this position requires a preliminary resume and education (if applicable) review to evaluate competencies and education (if applicable) required to perform the job. NOTE: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or 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.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11351153


Required Documents


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

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; and title, series, grade (if applicable) 4) supervisor's phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check 5) other qualifications. If you need assistance in creating a federal resume, click here.

If using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application as long as it includes: student name, school name, and enough information to validate qualifications (course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was awarded, etc.). If selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Verify accreditation here: Dept. of Education Accredited Schools. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit evidence that the institute was accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is equivalent to U.S. education standards. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit NACES. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

If claiming veterans preference, you must submit a DD-214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, showing 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 (no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted). Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. Veterans preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veterans preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) you submitted.


Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP 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), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application (per 5 CFR 330).

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire)

NOTE: You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g. veteran's preference) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents must not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.

If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. Once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Remember: Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted and failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.


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 the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/24/2022 to receive consideration.

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 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 12 P.M. (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to be entered into the system prior to its closing. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

Alternative Methods for Applying: If you are unable to apply using the internet, please fax your request for an application package along with your name and mailing address to: HR (Branch 2) 1-833-840-9219.

To begin, click "Apply Online" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.

Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.

Step 2: In your USAJOBS account, you will have the opportunity to select your stored USAJOBS resume, create a new resume or upload a resume, and upload other relevant documents. All uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). See "Required Documents" for details. Select the document you want to submit.

Step 3: Click "Apply Online," answer all required questions, verify the documents you selected from USAJOBS transferred into the Agency's staffing system, and attach any additional documents that may not have transferred or be required. If qualifying based on education, you must submit a legible copy of your college transcript(s), with your application package, showing your conferred degree (if any) and/or applicable coursework as proof that you qualify based on education. If you have not yet graduated, submit your current transcript.

NOTE: It is an applicant's responsibility to submit updated information. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

NOTE: It is an applicant's responsibility to submit updated information. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you are strongly encouraged to visit your library, state employment office, or another establishment that provides internet service to complete the online application and the assessment questionnaire. If this is not an option, refer to the Alternative Methods for Applying section below for specific instructions.


Agency contact information


Kayni Loyd


Phone

Fax
1-833-840-9220

Email

Address
Food Safety and Inspection Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US



Next steps


Once you successfully complete the application process, you will receive a notification of receipt. Your application package will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic eligibility requirements. The resumes and transcripts, when required, for all eligible applicants will be reviewed to determine if you are among the most highly qualified for the position. If you are found to be one of the top applicants, a further review may be completed of your online questionnaire and the documentation you submitted to support your responses and you will receive a notification of results. Applicants that are found among the most highly qualified may be referred to the hiring official for consideration, and you will receive a notification of referral. The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and as part of the selection process, applicants may be required to complete additional supplemental documents. Once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision. If interviews are conducted, Behavioral Event Interviews BEI will be used. Be sure to log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.


Fair & Transparent


The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.


Overview

  • Accepting applications

Open & closing dates
  •  02/18/2022 to 02/24/2022
  • This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
  • $38,117 - $90,837 per year
Pay scale & grade
  • GS 5 - 11
Location
Telework eligible
  • Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
  • Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
  • No
Appointment type
  • Permanent
Work schedule
  • Full-time
Service
  • Competitive
Promotion potential
  • 12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
  • No
Security clearance
Drug test
  • No
Position sensitivity and risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
  • FSIS-22-DE-11351153-KDL
Control number
  • 638340000