Veterinary Medical Officer

4 positions available in Manhattan, Kansas

1 position available in Ames, Iowa

The incumbent will work with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to provide scientific and technical support to APHIS, VS, and D&B program units engaged in regulations enforcement and animal disease diagnosis, prevention, control, and eradication.

• 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:
• Develops immunological and molecular biological assays for diagnosis of foreign animal diseases.
• Conducts microbiological techniques (including immunological and molecular) in the preparation of reagents for disease diagnosis.
• Provides assistance to other sections of the laboratory to detect, prevent, control, and eradicate domestic or foreign animal diseases by conducting specialized diagnostic assays and providing diagnostic interpretation to stakeholders.
• Prepares or participates in experimental designs for developmental projects to study field isolate pathogenicity and immune response or to create reagents for diagnostic assays.
• Manages the inventory control of select agents to ensure the accuracy and security of these agents.
• Implements and maintains optimum quality control and assurances in various assignments.
• Provides information, training, and reference assistance to approved foreign country, state and university, and diagnostic laboratories.

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./
• Testing Designated Position:
  Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Professional work is performed primarily under hazardous conditions due to unmanageable animals, extremely variable restraint and examination facilities, and a variety of potential toxic materials or other potential hazards.
• The work involves the risk of exposure to viruses and bacteria that may be human pathogens (Class 3 Agents) and requires working with viruses exotic to the United States.
• Require the use of biological safety cabinets and work is performed in a biological containment laboratory (agricultural biosafety level
  3) in which all clothing is changed and a complete shower is taken upon leaving the containment facility.
• The incumbent must apply strict agent safety regulations against contact with birds, sheep, goats, cattle, swine and other animals (in exclusion of dogs and cats) outside the laboratory.

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

All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below.

FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

Performing and refining specialized laboratory and animal techniques to support reagent production, diagnostic assay interpretation or development, or evaluation of vaccines and other veterinary countermeasures.
Working within ISO compliance and creating standard operating procedures, independently managing developmental projects, and troubleshooting technical…