Biological Science Laboratory Technician

Summary

This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami, Florida. In this position, you will be participating in research projects related to plant or soil research, collecting plant or soil samples, and operating basic laboratory or field equipment.

Duties

• •Assists in one or more phases of the research process by performing a variety of technical duties, in a laboratory, field, or greenhouse environment, common to the assigned area of work.
• •Performs routine and recurring techniques and studies using a variety of specialized equipment.
• •Maintains, calibrates and modifies equipment and automated systems used for test and evaluation procedures.
• •Collects, prepares, evaluates, and verifies samples and supporting records; maintains records and locates and compiles data and other information from various sources.
• •Keeps detailed records of experimental data. Tabulates, statistically analyzes and summarizes data using personal computers and software packages.
• •Maintains inventory of chemicals, prepares solutions and reagents for use in the laboratory, field, or greenhouse, and safely disposes of waste material (both chemical and biological).

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, 11/24/2026, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-05 Specialized Experience: 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 is experience in research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; and operating basic laboratory or field equipment. OR Education: Successful completion a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study, or at least 24 semester hours, in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics and at least 6 semester hours of courses are directly related to the position to be filled. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and experience as described above. GS-06 Specialized Experience: 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 equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience applying practical biological science techniques to conduct limited research tasks with minimal supervision; operating and calibrating scientific instruments and adapting established procedures as needed; and analyzing and documenting research data using electronic tools and recognizing unusual results. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and experience as described above. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience applying advanced biological science knowledge to plan and execute multistep research tasks and resolve nonstandard technical issues; modifying analytical methods and instrumentation to meet unique research conditions; and evaluating experimental results, refining procedures using scientific literature, and performing statistical data analysis. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees include a major study in plants, horticulture, plant science, agriculture science, plant pathology, plant physiology, botany, and biotechnology. OR A combination of education and experience as described above. 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. Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking or bending. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. In other situations, there may be special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., working with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals or working outdoors. The employee is required to wear protective clothing such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves. Outside work collecting samples often exposes the incumbent to long periods of hot sun, high humidity, and occasionally to bad weather.

Education

Please see above for education information.