Health Scientist

Summary

This is a Health Scientist position within the BioRisk Management Branch, Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS), Office of Research Services (ORS), National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you have experience participating in assigned safety and health programs in a clinical or research science laboratory AND you want to play a significant role in a dynamic organization, then consider joining the NIH Office of Research Services! For more information, visit

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration. This job is also open to USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers and Call-To-Active Duty (CAD) Candidates.

Duties

If selected for this position as a Health Scientist, GS-0601-11/12 your duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

Performs a variety of duties involving biosafety and biocontainment management, implementation, coordination, and policy issues for NIH high and maximum containment laboratories.

Provides safety support to high containment or select agent program registered laboratory facilities as authorized.

Responds to accidents, exposures, and other emergencies within high containment laboratories.

Provides emergency support, advice on remedial action, and strategies for preventing and/or intervening in emergency situations.

Performs site visits and inspects high containment laboratories to ensure compliance.

Prepares reports of findings and recommendations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.

Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.

Pre-employment and/or random drug and alcohol testing is required for this position.

Position requires Education.

You must be able to lift and move heavy items weighing 40 lbs. with or without a reasonable accommodation.

If selected, will be required to gain/maintain access to BSL 3, BSL 4, and associated animal facilities and/or labs.

If selected, will be required to participate and meet all requirements of the NIH Biological Surety Program (BSP). Tier 3 background investigation and annual behavioral health assessments are included in the NIH BSP.

If selected, must obtain a positive FBI Security Risk Assessment (SRA) in compliance with 7 CPR Part 333:9 CPR Part 121; and 42 CFR Part 73.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for a Health Scientist, GS-0601 position you must meet the Basic Education Requirement:.

Completed the requirements for a bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree with major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

In addition to the above basic requirements, to qualify for a Health Scientist at the GS-11 level, you must have:

A. (1) One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following types of tasks: 1) providing scientific and technical support for assigned portions of biosafety and Select Agent programs; 2) researching information involving select agents and toxins in biomedical research; and 3) assisting in preparing reports and documentation on safety programs for research on biodefense and infectious diseases.

OR

B. 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field.

OR

C. A combination of post baccalaureate education above the master's level in a related field, and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

In addition to the above basic requirements, to qualify for a Health Scientist position at the GS-12 level, you must have:

A. (1) One year of specialized year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following types of tasks: 1) providing scientific and technical support for the planning and management of biosafety and Select Agent programs; 2) providing guidance on policies and the use of select agents and toxins in biomedical research; 3) preparing reports and documentation on safety programs for research on biodefense and infectious diseases; and 4) participating the in the implementation of policies and procedures related to biosafety and healthful work environments.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings with the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply:

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. .

If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. .

Additional information

A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.

PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration.

At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer : [telework (work from home on a regular basis or ad hoc basis but reports to the office at least once a week/two days a pay period), compressed schedules, flexible schedules].

Pre-employment and/or random drug and alcohol testing is required for this position.

This position is designated as a "" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.

The work involves entrance into a variety of work areas including laboratories, animal, and support areas. There may be some walking, standing, or bending, and carrying of small and light objects. When necessary, incumbent will provide emergency response in the case of biological/select agent spills and assist with recovery efforts. This may involve entry into potentially contaminated areas. Incumbent will also be required to obtain an annual medical clearance for use of a respirator and may need identified vaccinations.

The work may involve exposure to potential hazards in a work environment that includes laboratories, clinical facilities, mechanical areas, offices, etc. These workplaces can pose a broad range of potential hazards including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as noise, dust, heat, high humidity, etc. The use of personal protective equipment will be required in some areas and include the donning and doffing of personal protective equipment suitable for entering high containment laboratories. Vaccines will be offered before entering certain laboratory and animal care areas.

Vaccinations and other medical surveillance will be recommended/required based on agent.

Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s). Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions.

The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program . E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.

Visit our for helpful information on the application process.

Visit our page and this for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement, and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

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

1. Skill in managing safety and occupational health programs for biosafety and high containment laboratories.

2. Provide guidance, consultation, and recommendations to various audiences on biorisk management programs and requirements.

3. Skill in developing, implement, and assessing compliance with policies, procedures, and requirements for biorisk management programs.

4. Ability to interact with individuals and groups to accomplish complex work activities involving biosafety and biocontainment management programs.

If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application and responses to the online questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria

Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria

Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Applicants determined to be Best Qualified will be referred for further consideration. Preference eligibles in the Best Qualified category are referred before all other applicants.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the and the, you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Required Documents

REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS

RESUME:

Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the . If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

Job title

Name of employer

Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)

Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.

Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)

Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources:,, and the .

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:

You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.

Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS

To claim veterans' preference, career transition selection priority, Schedule A or military spouse eligibility, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

(DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): Reference for required documentation for 10 point claims. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you are claiming derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point claims, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the is submitted with your application package.

Visit our sites on / for more information and required documentation.

Visit our site on the for more information and required documentation to verify eligibility.

Schedule A Eligibility (Applicants with Disabilities) Applicants who are eligible to be considered under must submit appropriate documentation to verify eligibility. Documentation must be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed.