Summary

This position is located in Agricultural Research Services, Midwest Area, National Animal Disease Center (NADC), Animal Resources Unit in Ames, IA.

In this position, you will manage the technical work in support of the care, maintenance, health, and behavior of animals involved in the research projects located in ARS Biocontainment and High Containment Animal Research facilities.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Duties

Perform a variety of processes, methods, procedures, and tasks related to the daily care and feeding of the animals.
Provide feed and liquids according to such factors as age, activity, and state of health requirements.
Adhere to guidelines for the humane handling of animals to prevent injury to animals and/or personnel.
Observe animals daily for appearance and activity and signs of illness, disease, discontent behavior, and/or refusal of feed.
Document and report animal health and general physical condition of animals daily per facility-specific guidance.
Apply guidelines defined by SOPs for acceptable housing of various species in the daily care and housing of animal.
Keep detailed records of clinical and experimental data including tabulating and summarizing data using personal computers and software packages.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a US Citizen or US National.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
Motor Vehicle or Commercial Driver's License required.
Special Physical Requirements/Demands: Pre-employment physical examination and respirator fit test required.
SAC and full background investigation required for positions working with BSL-3 (or higher) agents, or in BSL-3/BSL-4 facilities.
Select Agent.

Qualifications

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

GS-05:
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-05 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-04 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience includes experience assisting higher level technicians in one or more phases of the research process related to the care and observation, handling, and feeding of animals; and operating common laboratory or field equipment.
OR
Education:A full 4-year course of study above the high school level leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. Related degrees may include Animal Science, Agricultural Science, Animal Ecology, Zoology, and related fields.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above.

GS-06:
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting higher level technicians in one or more phases of the research process; handling animals in an agricultural, commercial, or research setting; collecting animal samples and operating common laboratory or field equipment.
Education: Successful completion of one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Animal Science, Agricultural Science, Animal Ecology, Zoology, and related fields.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above.

Physical Demands:
The incumbent performs activities involved in the care, treatment, and observation of animals, and collecting of biological specimens. Moderate to heavy physical exertion is required daily for restraining large animals and moving feed, hay, bedding, and equipment (up to 75 pounds). 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. May require standing on a ladder to complete overhead tasks, i.e., the cleaning and changing of filters; stooping, bending, reaching, and active walking. The incumbent may frequently be required to do physical activity while wearing a respirator which requires extra effort.

Work Environment:
Work is in a Biosafety Level 2, 3, 4 Ag, and or BSL-4 facility. The work is performed in animal holding facilities where natural and man-made environmental extremes (i.e., rain, snow, ice, sunlight, heat, cold, and high humidity) are present. Because this is an exigency position, the incumbent is expected to report for duty when the laboratory is closed due to hazardous weather, heightened threat levels, or natural disasters. 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. The incumbent is expected to work with animals infected with zoonotic diseases and therefore be required to follow shower procedures and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or respirators, ear and eye protection, boots, gloves, and coveralls, Various forms of respiratory protection equipment must be worn when working with certain infectious agents, chemicals, and animal allergens. PPE provides necessary protection against biological and chemical hazards but may increase risk of accidents due to decreased vision, hampered communication, and limited mobility and dexterity. Physical well-being may be compromised by the prolonged usage of PPE and may lead to labored respiration, heat stress, and dehydration. Work may be performed daily in the presence of hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde, virucidal, and bactericidal disinfectants, and detergents.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Additional 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.

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer.

For information on benefits available to federal employees, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/New-Prospective-Employees/ Please see the Benefits section below for additional information.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

This position is designated as a bargaining unit position and is represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or 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 knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

Animal Husbandry
Research
Applies Technology to Tasks

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.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12790726

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, 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.
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 any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation, and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
If claiming veteran's 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 not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's 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 veteran's 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), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.

To begin, click "Apply" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.

NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.

Agency contact information

Christina Olshawsky

Phone

(970) 305-6708

Christina.Olshawsky@usda.gov

Address

Agricultural Research Service
5601 Sunnyside Ave
Beltsville, MD 20705
US

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to amanda.wilkerson@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

09/03/2025 to 09/17/2025

Salary

$40,659 to - $58,919 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 5 - 6

Location

12 vacancies in the following location:

Ames, IA

Remote job

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

Not required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)

0404 Biological Science Technician

Supervisory status

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

Position sensitivity and risk

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

Bargaining unit status

Yes

Announcement number

ARS-S25MWA-12790726-CLO

Control number

844766100

US Agricultural Research Service

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