Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• You must meet one of the following Basic Requirements below to be eligible for the Supervisory Animal Scientist, GS-0487-9/11
• NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application
• Education cannot be credited without documentation
• Display copies of degrees or course listings do not provide the information needed
• Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university
• Experience must be fully documented in your resume
• Degree: Successful completion of a Bachelor's degree (or higher) in animal science, dairy science, poultry science
• or a related discipline or field of animal science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, and 20 semester hours in animal science
• For animal scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in courses dealing with the breeding, feeding, production, and management of livestock, and the care and preparation of their products*
• ~OR~ Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, including a minimum of 20 semester hours in appropriate animal science subjects, as described above, plus appropriate experience or additional education
• For animal scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in courses dealing with the breeding, feeding, production, and management of livestock, and the care and preparation of their products*
• Evaluation of Education: Course work in such subjects as agronomy, animal, dairy, or poultry science, biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, genetics, and biochemistry may be used to meet the general 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic biological and agricultural sciences
• *Course work in such subjects as zoology, embryology, animal breeding or genetics, physiology, biochemistry, and any phase of animal, dairy, or poultry science may be used to meet the 20-semester-hour requirement in animal science
• *Course work in animal science includes those subjects dealing with the specific kinds and classes of livestock, e.g., cattle, swine, sheep, or fur bearers, their breeding and development, nutrition, management, and utilization
• and the qualities and uses of their products, e.g., meat, wool, or leather
• Note regarding Graduate Education: To be qualifying, graduate study must have been in animal, dairy, or poultry science
• or in a specialized subject-matter area of science directly related to these sciences, such as feeds and feeding or nutrition, breeding, and development, physiology, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on one of the recognized specialized subject-matter areas of animal science
• Graduate study in related disciplines or fields of science, such as agronomy, microbiology, biochemistry, biophysics, and dairy, food, or fiber technology (if it dealt with pertinent products or their production) may also be qualifying, provided the graduate work placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on one of the recognized fields or subject-matter areas of animal science
• ~AND~ In addition to the Basic Requirements above, to qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Supervisory Animal Scientist at a development level, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled
• Specialized experience is performing duties similar to that of a GS-11 grade level but of a more limited scope and with less independence such as lead/supervisory experience directing the work of subordinates, managing performance, handling employee complaints, reviewing training needs, etc.
• applying knowledge of animal science/animal husbandry to manage animal services for a laboratory research facility
• performing work related to animal care and management, conducting policy and guideline reviews, and serving in an advisory capacity regarding research activities involving the use of animals and safety procedures for investigative purposes
• ensuring compliance with appropriate laws and regulations
• performing analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of a facility's research programs/policies and to recommend improvements
• ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Supervisory Animal Scientist
• ~OR~ Combination: A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level
• This education portion must include graduate courses that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Supervisory Animal Scientist
• In addition to the Basic Requirements above, to qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Supervisory Animal Scientist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled
• Specialized experience is lead/supervisory experience such as directing the work of subordinates, managing performance, handling employee complaints, reviewing training needs, etc.
• applying knowledge of animal science/animal husbandry to manage animal services for a laboratory research facility
• performing work related to animal care and management, conducting policy and guideline reviews, and serving in an advisory capacity regarding research activities involving the use of animals and safety procedures for investigative purposes
• ensuring compliance with appropriate laws and regulations
• performing analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of a facility's research programs/policies and to recommend improvements
• At this level, you must have excellent organizational skills, as well as exceptional judgment and decision-making skills
• sufficient experience and skill to train research investigators and staff in the handling of animals during procedures and promoting well-being of research animals
• ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Supervisory Animal Scientist position
• ~OR~ Combination: A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level
• The education portion must include graduate courses that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Supervisory Animal Scientist position
• You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: COMPLIANCE ANALYTICAL THINKING ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL CREDIBILITY