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Summary The official title of this position is a Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal). This position is located within the Veterinary Medical Unit at the VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo, NY. Responsibilities ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Plans, organizes, supervises, and evaluates the day-to-day operations. Assigning priority of work of subordinate employees, ensuring that assignments are properly performed. Monitors the employee health program including surveillance and prevention of diseases passed between laboratory personnel and animal subjects. Ensures the maintenance of a sound program of animal husbandry. Designs, coordinates, and executes animal husbandry and caging plans tailored to the needs of individual investigators and projects. Assesses regulatory guidance and develops, writes, recommends and implements procedures and policies to comply with current regulations and accepted standards regarding animal welfare. Maintains essential records, such as animal and equipment inventories and procurement records. Coordinates purchases for all animal subjects, equipment, supplies and services based on Principal Investigators' research priority needs and availability of space. Carries out routine support functions such as autoclaving, radioactive waste disposal, shipping, receiving, sample storage, ordering, inventory, or other comparable tasks. Feeds, cleans, and cares for all laboratory animals in assigned rooms as described in animal room protocol. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-8 grade level in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience include research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice; Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. Additional specialized experience includes: planning and organizing daily operations; providing the optimum husbandry and healthcare to the research animals; and providing essential operational and technical support in a wide variety of animals studies for all biomedical programs involving animal subjects. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. -OR- EDUCATION: Have successfully completed a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate education leading to such a degree in a field of study directly related to the work of this position. Education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- COMBINATION: Have successfully completed graduate education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience as described above to meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Work is a mixture of sitting as well as strenuous activity such as standing, walking, bending, stooping, and lifting. The position may be required to stand long periods of time and may be required to lift weights up to 50 pounds for short periods of time. Knows how to implement techniques for lifting and manipulating heavy cages and racks so that back injuries and other injuries related to lifting are prevented. Carries out duties that require regular and recurring walking, bending, and carrying of moderately heavy equipment (<50 pounds). Assists other personnel with the unloading of heavy feed and bedding bags, and the pushing/pulling of very heavy stainless mobile caging units. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation.