The incumbent serves as a Biological Scientist in the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), Policy, Evaluation, and Licensing (PEL). The incumbent has responsibility for testing and evaluating proposed and licensed biologics for agents assigned by the Section Chief that are intended for prevention, treatment, or diagnosis of animal disease.

Duties
The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.

The duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Testing and evaluating the potency, safety, purity, and efficacy of products.
• Evaluating research, developmental, and field data produced by firms while seeking licensure of veterinary biologic products.
• Proposing and developing standardized assay methods and initiating collaborative studies to implement those standardized assays for the biologics community.
• Preparing and evaluating references and reagents to support the Section and to supply as references and reagents to the biologics and scientific communities.
• Designs, develops, and evaluates new procedures and techniques to enhance the evaluation of current products or to test emerging conventional and biotechnology based veterinary biologics.
• Presents the results of work in written, poster, and oral forms in a variety of scientific and regulatory contexts, including scientific journals, and scientific and public meetings.

Requirements – Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• There is exposure not only to highly distressed animals, but also to the diseases they carry, or those viral/bacterial agents in the laboratory while assaying biological products.
• Vaccination, when appropriate, against the incumbent’s assigned agents is required.
• The incumbent is also required to practice appropriate safety procedures and to use special animal restraints and personal protective gear (rubber boots, medical long coats, coveralls, rubber gloves, biological masks, and related equipment).

Please view the website for education and qualification requirements https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886212200  

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.