CHEMIST (FORENSIC)

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CHEMIST (FORENSIC)

Department of the Army

U.S. Army Medical Command

Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Lab

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• Summary
• This job is open to
• Duties
• Requirements
• How you will be evaluated
• Required documents
• How to apply

Summary

About the Position:

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for STEM Positions and Cyber Security and related positions to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Incumbent serves as a Incumbent serves as a Quality Assurance Chemist and Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS) assigned to the Quality Assurance Section, Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory (FTDTL), Fort Meade, Maryland.

Learn more about this agency

Summary

About the Position:

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for STEM Positions and Cyber Security and related positions to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Incumbent serves as a Incumbent serves as a Quality Assurance Chemist and Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS) assigned to the Quality Assurance Section, Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory (FTDTL), Fort Meade, Maryland.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Help

Accepting applications

Posted yesterday · Apply by 06/08/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 8, 2026

Location

Fort Meade, MD

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible No Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $102,415 - $133,142 per year Pay scale & grade

GS 12

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 1320 Chemistry

Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No

Drug test No Security clearance Not Required Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number HSM1-26-12969708-DHA-S Control number 870691300

This job is open to

Help

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

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• Conduct and analyze scientific testing performed by lower graded scientists and providing scientific validation of results.
• Interpret the chromatography and quantitative confirmation results from the highly specific analytical instrumentation in relation to testing human urine aliquots for selected drugs of abuse or drug metabolites.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Law and established laboratory quality control and quality assurance criteria and ascertain the identity and accuracy of quality control specimens in both screening and quantitative analytical reports.
• Determine the disposition of specimens whose chain of custody documents contain errors or omissions, in accordance with acceptable practices and sound judgment.
• Initiate special testing requests and/or requests for testing that is completed at other laboratories
• Prepare and certify memoranda required for the different types of validity and steroid testing.
• Read, comprehend, and interpret scientific journal reports, studies, and articles in the field of forensic urine drug testing to maintain current expertise in the execution of their duties.
• Understand and apply of pharmacokinetics for various drugs that enables them to, in the course of expert testimony, present scientific information in a manner understandable to the lay person.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 10% or less of the time.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• This job is open to the public. U.S Citizens are eligible apply to this job as well as the eligible categories below:
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.

Basic Requirement for Chemist - 1320:

A. Degree: Bachelors degree (or higher degree) in the 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

B. Combination of Education and Experience: Course work equivalent to a major in the physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering, 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 above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service which includes: 1) conducting and analyzing of scientific testing to provide scientific validation of results; 2) analyzing of complex scientific testing results, screening and confirmation; 3) interpreting the quantitative results from the highly specific analytical instrumentation (such as gas or liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer) to test human urine samples for selected drugs of abuse or drug metabolites; 4) utilizing in-depth knowledge of the field of chemistry, pharmacokinetics and toxicology to solve problems.

Education

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a Career Program (CP) 16 - Engineers and Scientist position.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
• Certification as a Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS) is required.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
• Superior qualifications and special needs pay setting may be authorized at managements discretion for eligible candidates.

Expand Hide additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

Help

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.

Review our 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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.?

Benefits

Help

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.

Review our 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.

Required documents

Required Documents

Help

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employers name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about whats in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another persons personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on06/08/2026 to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12969708).
• Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the Required Documents section.
• You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
• It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
• Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk

Website https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq Address M1-W6F215 US ARMY MEDICAL ACTIVITY

DO NOT MAIL

Fort Meade, MD 20755

US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability New employee probationary period

Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents

Help

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employers name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about whats in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another persons personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on06/08/2026 to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12969708).
• Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the Required Documents section.
• You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
• It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
• Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Expand Hide how to apply

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk

Website https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq Address M1-W6F215 US ARMY MEDICAL ACTIVITY

DO NOT MAIL

Fort Meade, MD 20755

US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Expand Hide next steps

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability New employee probationary period

Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service Signature and false statements

Social security number request

U.S. Army Medical Command

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk

Website https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq Address M1-W6F215 US ARMY MEDICAL ACTIVITY

DO NOT MAIL

Fort Meade, MD 20755

US

Summary

About the Position:

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for STEM Positions and Cyber Security and related positions to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Incumbent serves as a Incumbent serves as a Quality Assurance Chemist and Positive Laboratory Certifying Official/Certifying Scientist (PLCO/CS) assigned to the Quality Assurance Section, Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory (FTDTL), Fort Meade, Maryland.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Help

Accepting applications

Posted yesterday · Apply by 06/08/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 8, 2026

Location

Fort Meade, MD

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible No Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $102,415 - $133,142 per year Pay scale & grade

GS 12

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 1320 Chemistry

Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No

Drug test No Security clearance Not Required Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number HSM1-26-12969708-DHA-S Control number 870691300

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