Biological Science Laboratory Technician

Summary

This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami, Florida. In this position, you will be participating in research projects related to plant or soil research, collecting plant or soil samples, and operating basic laboratory or field equipment.

Duties

• Assists in one or more phases of the research process by performing a variety of technical duties, in a laboratory, field, or greenhouse environment, common to the assigned area of work.
• Performs routine and recurring techniques and studies using a variety of specialized equipment.
• Maintains, calibrates and modifies equipment and automated systems used for test and evaluation procedures.
• Collects, prepares, evaluates, and verifies samples and supporting records; maintains records and locates and compiles data and other information from various sources.
• Keeps detailed records of experimental data. Tabulates, statistically analyzes and summarizes data using personal computers and software packages.
• Maintains inventory of chemicals, prepares solutions and reagents for use in the laboratory, field, or greenhouse, and safely disposes of waste material (both chemical and biological).

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. 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/. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and we may consider: your performance and conduct, the needs and interests of the agency, whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government, and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, 11/24/2026, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-05 Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-05 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-04 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience in research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; and operating basic laboratory or field equipment. OR Education: Successful completion a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study, or at least 24 semester hours, in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics and at least 6 semester hours of courses are directly related to the position to be filled. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and experience as described above. GS-06 Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience applying practical biological science techniques to conduct limited research tasks with minimal supervision; operating and calibrating scientific instruments and adapting established procedures as needed; and analyzing and documenting research data using electronic tools and recognizing unusual results. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and experience as described above. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience applying advanced biological science knowledge to plan and execute multistep research tasks and resolve nonstandard technical issues; modifying analytical methods and instrumentation to meet unique research conditions; and evaluating experimental results, refining procedures using scientific literature, and performing statistical data analysis. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and 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. Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking or bending. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. In other situations, there may be special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., working with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals or working outdoors. The employee is required to wear protective clothing such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves. Outside work collecting samples often exposes the incumbent to long periods of hot sun, high humidity, and occasionally to bad weather.

Education

Please see above for education information. How You Will Be Evaluated

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using Category Rating. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13108532 Other Information

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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. 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. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. This position is designated as a bargaining unit position and is represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).