Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal)

Summary In this position you will be assigned to Research Service, - Ann Arbor ORD VISN 10 - VA Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, performing husbandry, enrichment, cage wash duties, animal health checks, animal transfers and all other husbandry functions associated with maintaining a rodent and rabbit animal facility. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Provides proper cage preparation including use and maintenance of cage washing equipment, cages, bottles, sipper tubes, autoclaves and other pertinent equipment. Performs soiled cage preparations, sanitizing, loading proper temperature monitoring of cage washer and autoclave, and the use of dip tanks. Prepares cages for autoclaving and possesses knowledge of the use of the autoclave including liquid, solid and food sterilization, use of indicator tape, proper transportation of items to designated areas and proper storage of sterile equipment. Provides animal room and facility sanitation including the proper use of chemicals, such as disinfectants, sanitizing agents, sterilant and detergents. Reports any abnormal readings of environmental parameters in order to have these corrected immediately. Performs animal receiving including using proper forms, preparation of cages for receiving, transporting animals properly, inspection of vendor transport vehicle to ensure appropriate and legal transport occurred, transfer of animals, separation of animals by species and health status, completion of inspection reports, health status, identifying health problems, ensuring appropriate gender and strain were sent, completing cage cards appropriately and completing all other pertinent records accurately and in a timely manner. Responsible for the health, care and well-being of animals used in research at the facility, including routine, special (e.g., genetically modified rodents), barrier and isolation care. Responsible for the care and well-being of research animals including behavioral needs, appropriate use in research, watering and feeding requirements, ensuring the micro and macro environments are appropriate for the species, use of appropriate bedding and caging. Observes all research animals and reports any signs of sickness, abnormalities, changes or deaths as directed by supervisor. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal Service. Experience must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. This specialized experience also includes performing animal husbandry; handling and caring for research animals; maintaining records for animal care and treatment; and maintaining equipment used in the care of animals. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience, as specified above, may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the GS-5. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: The work requires some physical exertion such as regular walking, bending, lifting (up to 50lbs.), climbing ladders/step stools, and repetitive motion work. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a work day) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. Agility and dexterity (hand and eye coordination) is required for proper job execution. The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., handling various species of animals, working around moving parts, using carts, using various machines needed to perform necessary functions in the Veterinary Medical Unit. At this level, employees are required to use protective clothing or gear such as bonnets, masks, respirators, gowns, ear plugs, booties, eye protections, gloves, protective footwear, and/or face shields as they will be working with various animal species, contagious diseases, and irritating chemicals. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information 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 RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at