Supervisory Biological Science Technician (Animal/High Containment)

US-Agricultural-Research-Servic; Manhattan (KS); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The USDA Agricultural Research Services (ARS) NBAF Animal Care Unit in Manhattan, Kansas, seeks a highly qualified individual for a GS-11 level position focused on oversight of animal care, welfare, housing, and handling in a high-containment facility. Applicants must meet specialized experience and education requirements and comply with biosafety and containment protocols.

Eligible candidates should have doctoral-level education and relevant experience; the role includes coordination of animal

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in animal care, welfare, and handling in research settings.
• Experience planning or coordinating animal research under strict biosafety containment.
• Knowledge of regulations and institutional animal care policies.

Responsibilities

• Oversee animal care, welfare and housing in a high-containment facility.
• Ensure compliance with research protocols and regulations.

Skills

Specialized animal care

Biosecurity procedures

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in related field

Job description

This position is located at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Services (ARS), The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), Animal Care Unit located in Manhattan, Kansas.

The mission of the NBAF Animal Resources Unit (ARU) is to support all aspects of the care and use of animals at NBAF.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, 11/23/2026, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Specialized Experience

Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience overseeing the care, health, housing, welfare and handling of animals used in research or teaching programs; planning, coordinating, or overseeing animal research activities in environments requiring strict biosecurity, biosafety, and containment procedures; and ensuring compliance with animal care regulations, research protocols, and institutional policies.

Education: Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. Related degrees may include Agricultural Science, Veterinary Science, Animal Science, or Biology.

OR

Successful combination of specialized experience and graduate level education.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Physical Demands

The incumbent performs activities involved in the care, treatment, and management of animals in a high containment facility. Moderate to heavy physical exertion is required daily for restraining large animals and moving feed and equipment (75-100 pounds) with appropriate support and within safety protocols. May be required to move large animal carcasses and/or portion of carcasses in carts weighing up to 300 pounds with the support of handling equipment. Strength and agility may be necessary to handle recalcitrant livestock. Certain phases of the work require extended (such as most of a workday) periods of standing or sitting while accomplishing detailed experimental procedures. Stooping, standing for extended periods, bending, reaching, and active walking are often required. The incumbent may Supervisory Biological Science Technician (Animal/High Containment) National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF)/Research Program Support Animal Care Unit frequently be required to do physical activity while wearing a respirator which requires extra effort.

Working Environment

Work is in a high-containment facility. Work may involve discomforts such as having to spend long periods of time on concrete or slippery floors, exposure to bites, scratches, kicks, disagreeable odors, allergens, and animal wastes from diseased or distressed animals. In addition, the work may be in closely confined rooms and areas as well as outside areas. The incumbent works in all kinds of weather or in situations where temperature variance is considerable including long periods in the hot sun, and sometimes chilly or rainy weathers, exposed to dirt, dust, mud and sometimes chemical sprays and dusts. Works on weekends, holidays, and occasional evenings, as required.

Containment Work Requirements

Working in a high containment laboratory poses some degree of risk to human health. For the health and safety of the incumbent and to prevent the spread of diseases, immunization against diseases being studied at NBAF which are transmissible to humans is required where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and effectiveness under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended 21 USC 321-392.

Investigational vaccines are those approved for human testing while they continue gathering additional safety and efficacy data in advance of full approval for commercial release. While immunization with FDA investigational vaccines is strongly encouraged, the incumbent will be advised that such immunization is voluntary.

Individuals who are already vaccinated or do not wish to receive the investigational vaccines will be asked to sign a declination form, assuming the risk of working with the viruses without vaccination. See attached declination form.

Ongoing Health Status Monitoring

Psychological and physical health are monitored as part of a person review. For physical health monitoring, a baseline blood sample will be required for employees entering and working in the biocontainment facility. When enrolled in the serum monitoring program, in addition to physical and psychological examinations, the physical health status of personnel is monitored periodically using biologic and serological tests. Beyond regular monitoring programs, blood draws will be needed to monitor the specific medical surveillance examinations.

Any medical condition which could create an unsafe environment for the individual or his/her co-workers, such as: Insufficient control of a medical disorder which could result in sudden loss of consciousness; and inadequate vision and hearing required for safety in a laboratory environment must be considered before a job offer and may be disqualifying.

Personal Protective Equipment

Risk is reduced but cannot be eliminated with special safety precautions. Use of Safety protocols and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as respirators, disposable personal protective clothing, and eye protection, are used as needed. PPE is dependent upon the work performed and the laboratory space in which the work is performed.

The incumbent is required to wear tight-fitting respirator when working in biological control areas; facial hair restrictions are to comply with proper operation of personal protective equipment. Approval to use a respirator requires a medical evaluation and fit test.

Decontamination/Body Requirements

The incumbent must have the ability to take a full-body shower with soap and shampoo one or more times per day without assistance. The incumbent must not have a skin condition which would prevent daily showering. Jewelry of any kind is not permitted inside containment.

Body jewelr y in piercings must have the ability to be removed prior to entering biocontainment or the piercing and jewelry must be completely sealed off from the working environment to protect the individual from contamination. No unhealed piercings are permitted inside biocontainment.

External medical devices may not be permitted. External medical devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering biocontainment or be sealed off from the working environment to protect the individual from contamination.

Facial hair restrictions are required to ensure the proper fit of tight-fitting respirators.

Personal Recognizance Quarantine (PRQ)

Due to the contagious nature to livestock of Foot-and-Mouth disease, and other diseases under study at NBAF, Select Agent Regulations specify a personal quarantine for the incumbent entering biocontainment. As a condition of employment, all personnel entering biocontainment facilities at NBAF must not be in contact with specific susceptible animals for a period of five (5) days after leaving biocontainment. Currently, restricted species include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, other ruminants, and swine. Contact with horses, birds (agricultural and pet birds) and rabbits are normally permitted, but restrictions may be placed on staff working with or near-contagious agents affecting these species.