INTERDISCIPLINARY-GENERAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE/CHEMISTRY

US-Defense-Health-Agency; Maryland; On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Defense Health Agency, Public Health at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, seeks chemists/physical scientists to support analytical work and instrument maintenance. The role requires familiarity with LC/GC/ICP systems and quality management alignment with ISO 17025.

Applicants should possess a relevant science degree and experience with complex chemical analyses, with opportunities for professional growth in a federally administered lab environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in the physical or life sciences or engineering with 30 semester hours in chemistry and calculus, plus 6 semester hours of physics.
• Course work/equivalents showing knowledge in physical sciences and chemistry with related physics.
• One year of specialized experience with analytical instrumentation or advanced education in relevant fields.

Responsibilities

• Operate and troubleshoot laboratory instruments such as LC, GC, ICP, LC-MS, GC-MS.
• Analyze environmental and occupational health samples and report results.
• Maintain SOPs and assist in quality control processes.

Skills

ISO 17025

Laboratory quality control

Education

Bachelor's degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering with chemistry/math/physics

Tools

Liquid chromatography (LC)

Gas chromatography (GC)

Inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP)

ICP-MS

LC-MS / LC-MS/MS

FTIR

Job description

About the Position:

This position is in the Defense Health Agency Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD. To learn more, visit us at: https://ph.health.mil/Pages/default.aspx Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service. Leave accrual negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service. Management would prefer applicants who have experience with ISO 17025 Quality System. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education/experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Chemist:

• A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in the physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.
• OR
• B. Combination of Education and Experience: Course work equivalent to a major in the physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Basic Requirement for Physical Scientist:

• A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.
• B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to one of the majors, as shown in A above, that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-09:

One year of specialized experience which includes: monitoring sophisticated laboratory equipment such as Liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) with various detectors, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) liquid-ion chromatography (LC/IC), and LC mass spectrometry (LCMS), planning chemical analysis, and troubleshoot and maintain laboratory instruments. OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-11:

One year of specialized experience which includes: performing tasks using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography (GC) with various detectors, liquid/ion chromatography (LC/IC), GC mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), alpha spectroscopy, gamma spectroscopy; liquid scintillation and proportional counting; microscopy; wet chemistry techniques; or related instrumentation and equipment, conducting environmental and occupational health sample analyses determining chemical composition, and report results as required, and analyze difficult, complex, and unusual chemical samples received in the laboratory. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

SPECIALZIED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-12:

One year of specialized experience which includes: evaluating quality control parameters, updating laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), performing chemical analysis using advanced instrumentation such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP or ICP-OES), ICP-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)), Gas Chromatography (GC) with various detectors including GC mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatography (LC, HPLC, UPLC/UHPLC, and/or Ion Chromatography) and various detectors including Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS or LC-MS/MS, and utilizing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the Federal service (GS-11).