What are the responsibilities and job description for the CHEMIST position at Forest Service?
This employee supports the USDA Forest Service, Forest Product Laboratory located in Madison, WI. The employee conducts analytical chemistry techniques, develops analytical methodology, collects, and analyzes complex data, interprets results, troubleshoots instrumentation, and plans chemistry-related projects in support of agency research activities.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Biljana Bujanovic at biljana.bujanovic@usda.gov or 608-231-9430.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.
OR
Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown above, 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, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-11: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the federal service performing work related to the duties of this position. To qualify at this grade level, your resum? must reflect 3 out of 4 of the following:
Using methods including spectroscopy (nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared), spectrometry (UV/visible, mass), chromatography (gas and liquid) and wet chemical methods for sample analysis;
Modifying current chemistry methods and techniques and recording them for use by others to improve the efficiency, accuracy and/or precision of routine analyses;
Preparing reports for scientific publications outlining study findings and procedures; and
Evaluating new analytical instrumentation and techniques to make recommendations to scientists and management for purchases of and access to new instrumentation.
Qualifying graduate education for the GS-11 level:
Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled). Acceptable fields of study include research areas related to the work of the position including: environmental analysis as a chemist, research chemistry, and analytical chemistry.
An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). Acceptable fields of study include research areas related to the work of the position including: environmental analysis as a chemist, research chemistry, and analytical chemistry.
For the GS-12: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal service performing work related to the duties of this position. To qualify at this grade level, your resum? must reflect all of the following:
Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade (salary) if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.
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.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Biljana Bujanovic at biljana.bujanovic@usda.gov or 608-231-9430.
Qualifications:
In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.
OR
Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown above, 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, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-11: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the federal service performing work related to the duties of this position. To qualify at this grade level, your resum? must reflect 3 out of 4 of the following:
Using methods including spectroscopy (nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared), spectrometry (UV/visible, mass), chromatography (gas and liquid) and wet chemical methods for sample analysis;
Modifying current chemistry methods and techniques and recording them for use by others to improve the efficiency, accuracy and/or precision of routine analyses;
Preparing reports for scientific publications outlining study findings and procedures; and
Evaluating new analytical instrumentation and techniques to make recommendations to scientists and management for purchases of and access to new instrumentation.
Qualifying graduate education for the GS-11 level:
Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled). Acceptable fields of study include research areas related to the work of the position including: environmental analysis as a chemist, research chemistry, and analytical chemistry.
An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). Acceptable fields of study include research areas related to the work of the position including: environmental analysis as a chemist, research chemistry, and analytical chemistry.
For the GS-12: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal service performing work related to the duties of this position. To qualify at this grade level, your resum? must reflect all of the following:
- Independently carrying out sample isolation and purification and analysis of principle components as well as trace components of research samples;
- Using methods including spectroscopy (nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared), spectrometry (UV/visible, mass), chromatography (gas and liquid) and wet chemical methods for sample analysis including routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of instrumentation;
- Modifying and developing new methods to improve the efficiency, accuracy and/or precision of routine analyses; and
- Training technicians and chemists to conduct analytical procedures and collaborating with scientists as a partner in research especially on particularly difficult analytical challenges.
Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade (salary) if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.
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.
Salary : $69,107 - $82,830
