INTERDISCIPLINARY-GENERAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE/CHEMISTRY

Summary

About the Position: This position is in the Defense Health Agency Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD. To learn more, visit us at: https://ph.health.mil/Pages/default.aspx Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service. Leave accrual negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service. Management would prefer applicants who have experience with ISO 17025 Quality System. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation

Duties

• Conducting complex chemical analyses of environmental and occupational health samples determining chemical composition, toxic constituents.
• Checking quality control data, correcting actions as required. Identifies components found, concentrations, and techniques used.
• Recognize anomalies or discrepancies in data obtained, conducts additional experiments, resolving conflicts and documenting results as required.
• Determine sample storage and preservation procedures.
• Trains on equipment operations and analyses as required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education/experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Chemist: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (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 B. Combination of Education and Experience: Course work equivalent to a major in the physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering, 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. Basic Requirement for Physical Scientist: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to one of the majors, as shown in A above, that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-09: One year of specialized experience which includes: monitoring sophisticated laboratory equipment such as Liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) with various detectors, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) liquid-ion chromatography (LC/IC), and LC mass spectrometry (LCMS), planning chemical analysis, and troubleshoot and maintain laboratory instruments.. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-11: One year of specialized experience which includes: performing tasks using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography (GC) with various detectors, liquid/ion chromatography (LC/IC), GC mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), alpha spectroscopy, gamma spectroscopy; liquid scintillation and proportional counting; microscopy; wet chemistry techniques; or related instrumentation and equipment, conducting environmental and occupational health sample analyses determining chemical composition, and report results as required, and analyze difficult, complex, and unusual chemical samples received in the laboratory. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. SPECIALZIED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-12: One year of specialized experience which includes: evaluating quality control parameters, updating laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), performing chemical analysis using advanced instrumentation such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP or ICP-OES), ICP-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)), Gas Chromatography (GC) with various detectors including GC mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatography (LC, HPLC, UPLC/UHPLC, and/or Ion Chromatography) and various detectors including Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS or LC-MS/MS, and utilizing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the Federal service (GS-11).

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. For the GS-09 and GS-11 level, education can be used to substitute experience (refer to Qualifications section of announcement). For the GS-12 level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted. How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates. Other Information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. One year trial/probationary period may be required. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest. This is a developmental position to be filled as a GS-07, GS-09, GS-11, or GS-12 with the full performance level of GS-12. Management may select from any of the announced grades. If selected at less than the full performance level, promotion to the full performance level is subject to meeting regulatory requirements, training, performance, and management discretion.