Summary This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Positions of DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Position is located at the Regional Health Command - West, Public Health - West, Laboratory Division providing chemical and radiochemical analyses and tests for the Food Analysis & Diagnostic Lab (FADL) Veterinary Chemical Section for Fort Sam Houston, TX. Responsibilities Conduct chemical and radiochemical analyses and tests on a broad range of food, water, biological, and environmental samples. Analyzes samples and measures: physical properties; wet chemical tests; instrumental analyses; and interpretation of considerable data. Apply chemical and radiochemical principles; theories; practices and methodology; federal and state regulations and guidelines pertaining to biological, and environmental testing associated with food and water. Operate, calibrate, and maintain gas-flow proportional counters, liquid scintillation counters, inductively coupled mass spectrometers, and multichannel analyzers. Execute numerous calculations to include determinations on the specific quantity of material present in foods, feeds, etc. to perform a variety of chemical analysis. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Chemist: A. Degree: Bachelor's or higher level degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering which includes 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Course work equivalent to a major in the physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering, 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. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes experience performing chemical and radiochemical analyses and tests on a broad range of food, water, biological and environmental samples, analyzes samples and measures: physical properties; wet chemical tests; instrumental analyses; and interpretation of considerable data. Experience analyzing data drawn from laboratory test and compiling reports of results, recommending solutions and drawing conclusion. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Chemistry, Physical Sciences, or Life sciences. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Education FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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 Additional Information Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. Two year trial/probationary period may be required. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This is a Career Program (CP) 16 - Engineers and Scientists (Non-Construction) position. You may claim military spouse preference. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest. This position is a TERM position. It is time-limited and may be extended up to a maximum of eight years. This position may be converted to permanent career or career-conditional appointment without further competition as long as all requirements are met. To be eligible for conversion, employee must complete at least 2 years of current continuous service under a term appointment in the competitive service AND employee must have a current performance rating under such term appointment of at least fully successful or equivalent. Position may be filled as a temporary promotion, temporary reassignment, or temporary change to lower grade NTE 2 years by a current permanent Army employee. Temporary promotions, reassignments, or changes to lower grade may be extended and may be made permanent without further competition. Permanent employees of another agency may be required to take a 3 day break in service. Permanent federal employees are not guaranteed to return back to their permanent position prior to being placed in the time-limited position. This position is obligated. An obligated position is one to which an employee has statutory restoration rights based on active military service, compensable injury or disability when fully recovered, or return rights based on having served an overseas tour(s). When an obligated position is filled either temporarily or permanently, the selected employee is required to sign an agreement acknowledging that they are aware of the obligation and accepts the fact that they may be displaced under reduction in force procedures at a later time.