Molecular Biologist (Project Support Specialist)

Summary

As a Molecular Biologist (Project Support Specialist), you will support pest identification with the use of molecular technology; provide support to senior Molecular Biologists (Plant Pathologists) in finding cryptic pests and identifying virtually all pests, and assist them with special projects involving the use of molecular biological technology in the disciplines of plant pathology, mycology, bacteriology, virology, and nematology.

Duties

• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Assists in the compilation and management of the datasets of molecular sequences of plant pests from port interceptions and domestic surveys that threaten U.S. agriculture.
• Assumes technical operational responsibility for planning, performing, and recording diagnostic laboratory activities within the quarantine programs.
• Oversees diagnostic activities related to many pests intercepted at ports of entries or from domestic surveys which require molecular identification.
• Performs classical, real-time polymerase chain reactions (PCR) sequencing using the Sanger method and sequence analysis to identify pests from port interceptions and domestic surveys.
• Modifies written Agency protocols in order to improve the identification of pests of various life stages as applied to taxonomy of pests of regulatory significance.
• Assists other scientists in developing, adapting, and implementing new laboratory protocols for identifying pests of regulatory concern.
• Assists the Plant Pathogen Diagnostic Certification Program in the deployment and use of molecular technology in relation to identification activities.

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. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS07) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: - Experience using molecular techniques including conventional PCR, real-time PCR, gel electrophoresis, sequence analysis, and other molecular and/or serological methods. - Independently carries out day-to-day technical operations of the laboratory and follows good laboratory practices. - Executes laboratory activities planned by senior staff, and assists with maintaining databases and tissue/nucleic acid sample collections with little supervision. - Experience maintaining inventories of laboratory reagents, chemicals, supplies, equipment, and other items. - Analyzes, summarizes data, and generates written/oral reports for senior staff and/or supervisor. OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines leading to a Master's degree or masters or equivalent graduate degree Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. 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.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

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 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.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 noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing. Resume cannot exceed two pages. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this. 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: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement). Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. 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. NOTE: 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. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Only one resume will be reviewed. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration.