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Geneticist

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Lamar, PA

Posted Date 12/20/2024
Description This position is a Geneticist, GS- 0440-12 working in Lamar, Pennsylvania for the R5-Lamar NFH and Northeast Fishery Center.

This position is also open to the public under announcement R5-25-12650650-LL-DE. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

The Northeast Fishery Center, located in Lamar, Pennsylvania. Lamar is located in a rural area surrounded by agriculture, state forest and game lands, high-quality fishing streams, and near college towns including State College, PA, the home of Penn State University, and Lock Haven, PA where Lock Haven University is located.

The Northeast Fishery Center includes both the Lamar Fish Technology Center and Lamar Fish Health Center. The Lamar Fish Technology Center provides research capabilities and technical expertise in areas including fish culture, population dynamics, and conservation genetics. The Conservation Genetics Lab works closely with partners in the FWS and elsewhere to apply genetic methods to issues conservation, and focuses on population genetics, environmental DNA, and genomics applications. The Conservation Genetics Lab works with partners to develop, conduct, and interpret genetics projects. Genetic projects include monitoring estimates of genetic diversity, defining populations, identifying species, and conducting environmental DNA analysis and research in the lab and field. The duties for this position include, but are not limited to:

  • Coordinate, lead, and manage genetics projects focusing on metabarcoding applications
  • Develop and lead research related to application of genetic methods for detection of invasive species bioinformatics analysis resulting from metabarcoding data
  • Provide technical expertise for genetic data analysis and data management
  • Provide technical assistance and conduct genetic sequence alignments for genomic sequencing
  • Provide overall technical coordination and interpretation and conduct complex molecular genetics analyses for a variety of projects
  • Provide oral presentation at workshops, symposia, and other scientific meetings
Only experience and education obtained by 01/03/2025 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Requirement:
Possess a degree with a major in genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics.

Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as agronomy, horticulture, animal, dairy, or poultry husbandry, entomology, microbiology, plant pathology, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology that involved cross-training in genetics is qualifying, provided it placed sufficient emphasis on genetics.

Minimum Qualification [GS-12]:
One year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience may include: 1) Conduct complex molecular genetic analyses for a variety of projects working with different species and genetic analysis methods (e.g. environmental DNA analyses including quantitative PCR and metabarcoding, or to determine genetic similarities and relationships, assign individuals to population of origin, quantify levels of genetic variation within and among populations, and identify species and sex); 2) Perform statistical analyses and generate graphical representations of study results, and incorporate the data into written reports, scientificpublications, and oral presentations; 3) Oversee and schedule laboratory activities performed by 1-2 biological technicians, students, and/or volunteers; and 4) Use DNA markers and automated DNA analyzers/sequencers to collect genotypic, gene frequency, bioinformatic classification of metabarcoding data, and DNA sequence data. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified.

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.

Time In Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the JOA. Specifically,
i. Area of Consideration.
ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502.
iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions or for Federal Wage System (FWS), wage grade positions, applicants are evaluated using the OPM Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations and the job element examining method
Your SF-50 will be used to confirm you meet all requirementsPROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
Salary86,962.00 - 113,047.00 Annual

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