Biological Science Technician

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Pathways Recent Graduate Eligibility Requirements To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years. OR Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met. In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements above, applicants must possess the minimum qualification requirements as follows: 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 perform successfully 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 in a laboratory setting; and operating common laboratory equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of 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 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 being filled. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Crop Science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Agriculture Business, Animal Science, 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 perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience collecting or evaluating biological samples; keeping detailed records of experimental data; and performing routine and recurring techniques using a variety of specialized equipment. OR 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. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Crop Science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Agriculture Business, Animal Science, and related fields. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-07 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-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 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 participating in a research project related to plants or livestock; statistically analyzing or summarizing data; and maintaining equipment and automated systems used for test and evaluation procedures. OR Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate level education leading to a Master’s or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Crop Science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Agriculture Business, Animal Science, and related fields. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. 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 use protective clothing such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves. 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.
This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Southeast Area (SEA), Dale Bumpers Small Farm Research Unit in Booneville, AR. In this position, you will assist in one or more phases of the research process by performing a variety of technical duties, in a laboratory, field, or greenhouse environment.