Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, seeks a Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal) to oversee the care, safety and well-being of research animals.

QUALIFICATIONS: GS-5/GS-6 level with specialized experience in animal care, husbandry, record-keeping, and equipment maintenance. Education options include a bachelor's degree with related coursework or approved combinations.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience in animal care and research environments.
• Experience in animal husbandry, care, and equipment maintenance.
• Education may be substituted by coursework in biology, chemistry, statistics, or related fields with transcripts.
• Graduate education may substitute one year of experience with appropriate coursework.

Responsibilities

• Care for and ensure the safety and well-being of research animals.
• Maintain records for animal care and treatment and monitor animal environment.
• Organize and manage equipment used in animal care and research procedures.

Skills

Animal care

Record keeping

Animal handling

Equipment maintenance

Laboratory safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology or related field

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Job description

These positions are located in the Department of Research and Development at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center located in Portland, Oregon. The Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal) will be responsible for the overall care, safety and well-being of the research animals.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Experience:

You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant 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 (GS-4) in the 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. In addition to the experience above, you must also possess the following specialized experience: performing animal husbandry; handling and caring for research animals; maintaining records for animal care and treatment; and maintaining equipment used in the care of animals. 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: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

~OR~

Education:

Successful completion of a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least twenty-four (24) semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least six (6) semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Combination:

Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post high school education and specialized experience that may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only education in excess of the first sixty (60) semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two (2) full academic years of study, or sixty (60) semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to one (1) year of specialized experience. This education must include courses directly related to the work of the position (as described above) and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

To qualify for this position at the GS-6 grade level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Experience:

You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant 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 (GS-5) in the 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. Specialized experience also includes working experience in a laboratory that involves basic knowledge of overall care, safety and well-being of research animals; monitoring research regulatory compliance; maintaining records; collecting samples; utilizing a variety of equipment; providing technical assistance; and preparing animals for experimental procedures (i.e. anesthetization, surgical preparation and post mortem examinations). Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling their own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

~OR~

Education:

Successfully completed one-half year of graduate education nine (9 semester hours) that includes courses directly related to the work of this position (i.e., biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics) that may be substituted for the experience required. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Combination:

Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience that may be used to meet total experience requirements. This education must include courses directly related to the work of the position (as described above) and must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Physical Requirements:

Work is a mixture of sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, and lifting. May be required to stand long periods of time and may be required to lift weights of up to sixty (60) pounds for short periods of time.

Work is performed in an animal room and/or animal laboratory, operating room, and cage wash area. Work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Protective clothing is worn while on duty and a shower is recommended before changing back to street clothes. An occupational health examination is available upon request every year

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/.