Chemist

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Environmental Health, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Duties

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY As a(n) Chemist, you will: - Conducting complex chemical analyses of clinical specimens using advanced analytical methods to generate accurate, sensitive, and scientifically defensible results. - Operating, calibrating, maintaining, and troubleshooting mass spectrometers, liquid and gas chromatography systems, and related analytical laboratory equipment. - Developing, validating, adapting, and improving analytical methods for detecting and measuring chemical warfare agents, industrial chemicals, natural toxins, and metabolites. - Conducting scientific investigations, reviewing literature, designing experiments, interpreting findings, and preparing reports, publications, and presentations on research results. - Providing technical consultation and direction, collaborating with internal and external researchers, and ensuring laboratory activities comply with applicable safety and CLIA requirements.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR Basic Qualifications for Chemistry Series, 1320: Degree: 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 Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, 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. Minimum Qualifications: You must have one-year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Developing and optimizing analytical methods using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for chemical identification and testing across multiple sample matrices, including human specimens, particularly when established methods require adaptation; Performing validation experiments for analytical methods, monitor key quality metrics, and follow established quality systems to ensure testing meets CLIA, ISO, or equivalent regulatory standards; Operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining advanced laboratory instrumentation and software (e.g., LC-MS systems and data analysis tools); use available information resources and contribute to routine databases or data-capture improvements; Executing complex chemical analyses with high accuracy and sound technical judgment; identify and resolve unexpected problems in experimental procedures or data interpretation within established protocols. Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated 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; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited. OPM Qualification General Policies Website

Education

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov. College or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page