Physical Science Technician – Irvine, CA

Department: Department Of Health And Human Services

Agency: Food and Drug Administration

Job Announcement Number: CK321761TW

SALARY RANGE:	34,881.00 - 68,702.00 USD /year
OPEN PERIOD:	Wednesday, March 03, 2010 to Wednesday, March 24, 2010
SERIES & GRADE:	GS-1311-05/09
POSITION INFORMATION:	Full TimeCareer/Career Conditional
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:	9
DUTY LOCATIONS:	1 vacancy - IRVINE, CA
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:	United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

• Do you want to make a difference in helping protect our nation’s food supply?
• Are you interested in improving food safety?
• Are you interested in protecting the public against food borne illnesses?

One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.

This position is located in an FDA ORA Field Laboratory and represents the GS-5 trainee all the way up to the GS-9 journeyman performance level for a Physical Science Technician.

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer and better for all Americans.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply Section)
• May have to serve a 1 year probationary period
• Successful completion of a background investigation

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Duties

Additional Duty Location Info:

1 vacancy - IRVINE, CA

• Make complete, accurate records of observations, measurements, computations, and results of analyses on work sheets.
• Conduct analysis such as sanitation, drug, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical device, and/or pesticide.
• Examine FDA samples for compliance with applicable standards of quality and identity using a wide variety of physical and chemical tests.
• Select and perform established methods and procedures to make determinations for monitoring and regulatory enforcement purposes.

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Qualifications and Evaluations

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Who May Apply: You may apply for this positon as long as you are a U.S. citizen.

GS-5:

Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service assisting in the process of analysis such as sanitation, drugs, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical device, and/or pesticide; examining samples for compliance with applicable standards of quality and identity using a variety of standard chemical and physical tests; interprets data; assists in preparation of reports, etc.

Or

Must have a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, or metallurgy.

Or

Must have a combination of education and experience, such that the total of each fulfills 100% of the requirement.

GS-6:

Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service conducting analysis such as sanitation, drugs, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical device, and/or pesticide; examining samples for compliance with applicable standards of quality and identity using a variety of standard chemical and physical tests; interprets data; assists in preparation of reports, etc.

GS-7:

Must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-6 level in the federal service conducting laboratory analyses of sanitation, drug, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical devices, and/or pesticides; maintaining complete and accurate records or methods, analyses and results; assisting in the preparation of reports of analyses; and operating various laboratory analytical instruments (such as pH meters, balances, and grinding mills). My activities were carried out independently, with minimal guidance.

Or

Must have one full year of graduate education in a field that is directly related to this position, such as astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, or metallurgy. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.)

Or

Must have a combination of education and experience, such that the total of each fulfills 100% of the requirement.

GS-8:

Must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 level in the federal service conducting laboratory analyses of sanitation, drug, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical devices, and/or pesticides; determining the most appropriate sample preparation and/or testing procedures to ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures; maintaining complete and accurate records or methods, analyses and results; preparing reports of analyses; and using a variety of laboratory analytical instruments (such as pH meters, balances, and grinding mills). My activities were carried out independently and I required assistance only with difficult problems.

GS-9:

Must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-8 level in the federal service conducting laboratory analyses of sanitation, drug, food additives, chemical contaminants, medical devices, and/or pesticides; determining the direction and depth of required analyses, considering such factors as available methodologies, regulations, historical data, and interrelated samples; interpreting and applying the Food, Drug, Cosmetic and Public Health Service Acts; preparing comprehensive reports of analyses, methodologies and results; monitoring laboratory procedures to ensure that they comply with quality assurance and quality control standards; and using a variety of laboratory analytical instruments. My activities were carried out independently and I have assisted others in the performance of these duties.

Or

Must have two full years of graduate education or a master's degree in a field directly related to this position, such as astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, or metallurgy. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.)

Or

Must have a combination of education and experience, such that the total of each fulfills 100% of the requirement.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR 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/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Condition of Employment:

Certain positions within the FDA are subject to strict restrictions on financial holdings (FDA regulated financial holdings). To determine whether this position is affected, applicants are advised to seek additional information during the interview process from the Ethics Staff, Division of Management Programs at (301) 827-5511 prior to accepting such a position.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for this position.  If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.  Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail.
• Ability to conduct laboratory analyses.
• Knowledge of the regulations and guidelines of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act and FDA policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of laboratory equipment and instrumentation.
• Written Communication.

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Benefits and Other Info

BENEFITS:

The Federal government offers a number of exceptional benefits to its employees. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees. http://www.usajobs.gov/EI/benefits.asp

OTHER INFORMATION:

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans’ preference see http://www.usajobs.gov/veteranscenter

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see www.sss.gov ).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible see http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

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How To Apply

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Résumé
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents:
         - Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable
         - College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To return to a previously Saved or Incomplete application you may use the following link: https://applicationmanager.gov/.

To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID: PH321761.   Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.

If you cannot apply online:
1. Click the following link to view and print the assessment questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire, and
2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the assessment questionnaire http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/opm1203fx.pdf and
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following documents are required and must be received by the closing date of this announcement:

   1. Your Résumé
   2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
   3. Other supporting documents:
         - Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable
         - College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

MIDWEST SERVICES BRANCH Phone: (816)426-5706 Email: kansascity@opm.gov

Agency Information: Philadelphia Services Branch Call or e-mail us with your questions Thank You, MO 00000 USA

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview.

You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process, once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks).

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