Equipment Specialist

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Manhattan (KS); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Diagnostics and Biologics division seeks a laboratory inventory specialist to manage scientific equipment inventories, track property, and support lab operations.

You will help ensure accurate records, coordinate receipt and installation of equipment, and maintain current knowledge of equipment used in day-to-day laboratory activities. This role emphasizes attention to detail, QA/QC, and compliant inventory management to support critical veterinary and public

Qualifications

• Attention to detail and accuracy in record-keeping.
• Ability to manage and track inventories of laboratory equipment.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Knowledge of QA/QC practices relevant to lab inventories.
• Understanding of equipment receipt, installation and calibration processes.

Responsibilities

• Manages scientific equipment inventories and tracks property in the lab and electronically.
• Supports receipt of laboratory equipment and facilitates installation.
• Maintains current knowledge of equipment used for laboratory operations.
• Maintains accurate inventories and records.
• Performs QA, QC, and inventory activities.
• Supports operation of sophisticated laboratory equipment.

Skills

Attention to detail

Customer service

Flexibility

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal skills

Reading comprehension

Self-management

Stress tolerance

Teamwork

Job description

Summary

Diagnostics and Biologics (D&B) brings together the Veterinary Services (VS) science centers that provide: diagnostic capability and capacity; regulatory activities related to the approval and monitoring of veterinary biologics; and scientific analysis expertise for addressing animal and public health related issues. The incumbent will be responsible for managing scientific equipment inventories, and updating and tracking property within the laboratory and electronically.

Major Duties

• Manages scientific equipment inventories, updates and tracks property within the laboratory and electronically.
• Supports receipt of laboratory equipment, tracks user manuals and accessories, and facilitates installation of equipment within the laboratory.
• Maintains a current knowledge of the scientific equipment used for laboratory operations.
• Maintains accurate records of equipment inventories.
• Conducts Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Inventory activities.
• Supports the operation of sophisticated laboratory equipment.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Evaluations

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13052088

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes:
1) personal information such as name, address, contact information;
2) education;
3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable);
4) other qualifications;
5) supervisor's name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not they may be contacted for reference checks.
Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program.
For further information, visit the following:
Foreign Education Evaluation.
All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted. If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide:
Proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal that is at least fully successful or its equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
Work's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.

Other Information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee. This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months. (Appointment may be extended up to 4 years without reannouncing). For more details click: Term Appointments Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. For the health and safety of the incumbent, and to prevent the spread of disease, immunization against diseases being studied within FADDL which are transmissible to humans may be required where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness under the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended 21 USC 321-392. Where the vaccine has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for investigational purposes, the incumbent will be advised that such immunization is voluntary. Incumbent in this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use on an ongoing basis, as directed, in accordance with USDA personnel manual 792-3, Drug-Free Workplace Program. The incumbent of this position will be required to comply with all pre-investigative reviews and referrals as defined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for background investigations.