Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System is seeking candidates for a Biological Science Laboratory Technician role at the GS-5 level. The position requires at least one year of specialized experience in a field related to the duties of the job, typically in a controlled environment, along with education credentials in biology or related sciences.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a major in biology or related fields, or meet the education requirements with the specified coursework.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience at GS-5 level is creditable if equivalent to GS-4 and related to the duties of the position.
• Education can substitute for experience: bachelor's with relevant major and required coursework; 12 months in a lab tech program can substitute for experience for microbiology/biochemistry work.
• Transcripts are required to verify qualifying education and experience.

Education

Bachelor's degree with major study in biology or related field

24 semester hours in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics

Job description

This position is Biological Science Laboratory Technician, Animal Care Technician, Veterinary Medical Unit, at VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

For GS-5:

Specialized Experience:

Possess at least one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of GS-4 in Federal service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Research activity or control program work. Nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment. Work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Education for experience:

Possess a successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with 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. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

Combining Experience and Education:

Possess an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience as described above to meet the total experience required for this position. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for GS-5. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.