Laboratory Evidence Control Specialist

US Drug Enforcement Administration; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is seeking personnel for the Office of Forensic Science Field Laboratories. The role focuses on receiving, inspecting, cataloging, and organizing evidence and legal submissions while maintaining and protecting chain of custody for laboratory evidence submissions.

The position requires meeting defined qualification standards for GS-07 and GS-09 levels, including specialized experience and/or graduate education as described, with emphasis on accurate

Qualifications

• Specialized experience or education as outlined for GS-07/09 levels.
• Ability to receive, inspect, catalog, and organize evidence and legal submissions.
• Knowledge of maintaining chain of custody and destruction of evidence when applicable.

Responsibilities

• Receive, inspect, catalog, and organize all evidence and non-drug items.
• Maintain and protect the chain of custody for laboratory evidence.
• Operate and document use of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

Skills

Attention to detail

Record keeping

Chain of custody

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate education eligibility criteria

Tools

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Job description

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Operational Support Division, Office of Forensic Science Field Laboratories.

This position(s) primary purpose is to receive, inspect, catalog, and organize all evidence, drug and non-drug, as well as legal document submissions, while directly maintaining and protecting the chain of custody for laboratory evidence submissions. For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education or if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants applying for the GS-07 must meet one of the following requirements:

A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-05 grade level.

Specialized 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• 1) Assisting with the receiving, inspecting, cataloging, and organizing all evidence, drug and non-drug, as well as legal document submissions;
• 2) Under supervision, maintaining chain of custody for each piece of evidence to ensure the outcome of an investigation is not jeopardized;
• 3) Assisting with the organization and participation of the destruction of evidence;
• 4) Maintaining various computer systems that account for evidence.

OR;

B. One (1) full year of graduate level education OR Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA).

In order to be creditable under this provision, SAA must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position and is based on: Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class, based on completed courses; Grade Point Average: applicants must have a grade point average of: 3.0 or higher: Based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher: Based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR; Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society: Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

OR;

C. Combination of Experience and Education.

Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirement. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

Applicants applying for the GS-09 must meet one of the following requirements:

A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-07 grade level.

Specialized 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• 1) Being responsible for the proper and secure handling of all evidence acquired by the field office;
• 2) Providing expert advice, guidance, and training for the staff on all aspects of evidence processing and procedures including search, protocol, evidence packaging, and proper completion of paperwork;
• 3) Organizing and participating in the destruction of evidence which includes removal from storage, scanning of evidence into databases such as the Laboratory Information Management System, boxing of evidence, transportation to the destruction site, verification of destruction.
• 4) Maintaining vault storage area.

OR;

B. Completed two full years of progressively higher level graduate education, or Master's or equivalent graduate degree such as LL.B. or J.D.

OR;

C. Combination of Experience and Education: Have the specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and have at least one year of graduate education as described in B, but less than the required two years. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook.