Lead Supply & Sample Handling Specialist

Summary
The position is located in a multidisciplinary laboratory within the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS), Laboratory Regulatory Operations (LRO), which performs analysis on red meat, poultry, & egg products. The specialist is an expert and advises in the proper receipt, chain of custody, identification, direction, storage, preparation (if applicable), and shipping of all samples and sampling supplies for disciplines represented in the laboratory and other agencies upon request.
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency
Current permanent Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) employees with competitive status, USDA CTAP/RPL eligible.
Duties

• Team lead of 4 - 7 supply technicians within a multidisciplinary laboratory of LRO.
• Responsible for planning, coordinating, reviewing, and expediting activities of the team personnel engaged in the procurement, receipt, storage, issue and shipment of supplies, materials, and equipment.
• Serves as a coach, facilitator and at times negotiator in coordinating branch initiatives and in consensus building activities among branch members.
• Responsible for the receipt, identification, preparation, distribution, and storage of all monitoring, surveillance, special agent, microbiological outbreak, and compliance investigative samples.
• Maintains mandatory records that can be used as court evidence.
• Responsible for maintaining sufficient inventory and distribution of all shipping supplies and sampling kits for FSIS sampling programs and special programs as requested.
• Manages an electronic supply inventory and drafts requests for purchasing. All work is performed under International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17025 guidelines.
• Coordinates sample receiving operations for all disciplines represented in the laboratory, assuring that sample integrity is maintained throughout the process.
• Maintains and coordinates sample log-in, preparation, and storage.
• Serves as a point of contact for questions concerning sample shipping and supplies for field and HQ.
• Manages receipt of all laboratory supplies, equipment, and chemicals.
• Receives, processes documentation, enters items into laboratory inventory database and obtains certificates of analysis. If necessary, delivers supplies, equipment, and chemicals purchased by the laboratory.
• Leads a distribution center for supplies and test kit materials used by FSIS inspectors for sampling programs.
• Responsible for implementing Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) applications as they relate to sample shipping and receiving.
• Ensures that the appropriate laboratory employees are properly trained on LIMS applications. Any other LIMS related activity that links to the storage of samples within the laboratory are also under the Lead's purview.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of one year probationary or trial period.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Must pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Failure to successfully meet these requirements could lead to adverse action proceedings including possible termination.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.

Qualifications
Applicants must meet the time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Time in grade: You must have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade to be eligible for the grade you are applying to.
To qualify at the GS-9 grade, you must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade in the following:

• Working in shipping and receiving of laboratory samples or supplies.
• Working with inventory management using electronic record keeping; examples include spreadsheets, laboratory information management systems, etc.
• Working with Microsoft Excel.
• Maintaining effective communication with internal staff and external customers.

To qualify at the GS-11 grade, you must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade in the following:

• Working in shipping and receiving of laboratory samples or supplies.
• Managing inventory using electronic record keeping; examples include spreadsheets, laboratory information management systems, etc.
• Working with Microsoft Excel.
• Maintaining effective communication with internal staff and external customers.
• Contributing to written guidelines; examples include sample receipt or inventory SOPs, procedural training documents, etc.

To qualify at the GS-12 grade, you must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade in the following:

• Managing the shipping and receiving of laboratory samples or supplies.
• Managing inventory using electronic record keeping; examples include spreadsheets, laboratory information management systems, etc.
• Working with Microsoft Excel.
• Maintaining effective communication with internal staff and external customers.
• Contributing to written guidelines; examples include sample receipt or inventory SOPs, procedural training documents, etc.
• Leading or training others in a laboratory.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: General Supply Series 2001
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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
You can qualify at the GS-9 grade with the following education:

• Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or
• Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or
• LL.B. or J.D., if related.

You can qualify at the GS-11 grade with the following education:

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or
• Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or
• LL.M., if related.

You cannot substitute education for experience to qualify at the GS-12 grade.
College transcripts: You must submit a legible copy of your college transcripts if you are using education to qualify. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, it must include your name, the name of the educational institution, and enough information to validate qualifications such as course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was awarded, etc.
If you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. You can verify the accreditation of your institution here: U.S. Department of Education Accreditation: Postsecondary Education Institutions
If any education was completed at a foreign institution, your application must include evidence that the institution was determined to be the equivalent to U.S. education standards by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit NACES. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. To see more information visit CHCO Council.
This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
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 reasonable accommodation 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Accountability
• Customer Service
• Oral Communication
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Your application, including the online assessment questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements and that your resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Non-competitive candidates need to meet minimum qualifications to be referred.
NOTE: If we determine that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the Apply button to the right.
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12216645

• Benefits