Summary
This position is located within Agricultural Research Service, Plains Area, National Biological and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, KS.
In this position, you will participate in various biosafety activities ensuring biocontainment units are in compliance with applicable regulations. In addition, you will participate in matters pertaining to ventilation, structural integrity, or biological containment in order to maintain proper facilities for research and/or diagnostics.
Learn more about this agency
Summary
This position is located within Agricultural Research Service, Plains Area, National Biological and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, KS.
In this position, you will participate in various biosafety activities ensuring biocontainment units are in compliance with applicable regulations. In addition, you will participate in matters pertaining to ventilation, structural integrity, or biological containment in order to maintain proper facilities for research and/or diagnostics.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/07/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 7, 2026
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Manhattan, KS
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed Yes-You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy. Salary $50,460 - $80,243 per year Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential 9
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
Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No
Drug test Yes Security clearance Other Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number ARS-S26Y-12991561-LG Control number 874239000
This job is open to
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The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Clarification from the agency
US Citizens and Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.
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Duties
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Requirements
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Conditions of employment
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
GS-07:
Specialized Experience: Specialized Experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting in the inspection, preventative maintenance, testing, or repair of HVAC devices or their controllers, or effluent (sewage) decontamination system components or their controllers.
OR
Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include industrial hygiene, engineering, chemistry, or microbiology.
OR
A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.
GS-08:
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-08 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience participating, in performing operation, preventive maintenance, modification, repair, testing, or certification of containment systems including HVAC devices, Effluent Decontamination Systems (EDSs), HEPA filters or Biosafety Cabinets (BCSs); and performing sterilization or decontamination of equipment or rooms.
GS-09:
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-08 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience independently performing operational and preventive maintenance of biocontainment systems; inspecting and certifying HEPA filtration, biosafety cabinets, and HVAC components for regulatory compliance; conducting decontamination and sterilization procedures; using and calibrating industrial hygiene and decontamination equipment; monitoring environmental conditions and conducting biological assays; and supporting hazardous and biological waste handling.
OR
Education: Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include industrial hygiene, engineering, chemistry, or microbiology.
OR
A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.
Work Environment
The mission of NBAF includes research, diagnosis and training for animal diseases foreign to the U.S. for the purpose of protecting American agriculture and domestic food sources from their potentially devastating effects. NBAF is vital to successfully protecting U.S. agriculture from the intentional or non-intentional introduction of foreign animal diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth disease. The position supports the biocontainment facilities and may require entry into biosafety level (BSL)-3, -3 enhanced, 3-Ag and BSL-4 labs. The incumbent must demonstrate the physical and psychological capability to conduct normal duties that are appropriate to their position. To prevent the transmission of disease out of biocontainment and retention of the position, the incumbent must meet the following medical standards in a pre-employment medical examination conducted after the receipt of a preliminary job offer and on a periodic basis:
Medical confidentiality will be maintained by the examining physician and only fitness (or unfit) for duty determination will be indicated. The incumbent will also be required to pass periodic fitness for duty physicals. In addition, a medical clearance will be required in the event that it becomes necessary to enter an area where an air purifying respirator or other respiratory protection is required.
A baseline blood sample may be required for employees entering and working in the biocontainment facilities. For the health and safety of the incumbent and to prevent the spread of disease, immunization against diseases being studied at NBAF which are transmissible to humans may be required where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness under the provision of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended 21 USC 321-392. Where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for investigational purposes, the incumbent will be advised that such immunization is voluntary.
Due to the contagious nature to livestock of Foot-and-Mouth disease, and other diseases under study at NBAF, Biological Safety Regulations specify a personal quarantine for employees working in BSL-3, -3 enhanced, -3 Ag and 4-biocontainment. As a condition for employment, all personnel entering the BSL-3 or higher biocontainment facilities at NBAF shall not be in contact with specific susceptible animals and their premises away from NBAF for a period of five (5) days after leaving bio-containment. Currently, restricted species are cattle, sheep, goats, deer, other ruminants, and swine. Contact with horses, birds (agricultural and pet birds) and rabbits are normally permitted, but restrictions may be placed on staff working with or near contagious agents affecting these species. Restricted livestock or other restricted animals may not be housed on the premises where the employee lives and where quarantine cannot be enforced. Employees who violate this requirement may be removed from employment or subject to other disciplinary action. Additionally, an approved SRA investigation is required for access to select agent registered spaces.
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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
See Qualifications Section for education requirements.
Additional information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
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 here.
This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
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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
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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.
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.
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12991561
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.
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
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The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
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
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Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resumes cannot exceed two pages.
The application process is as follows:
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status:
Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.
Agency contact information
Lorena Garcia
Phone 571-363-2836 Email Lorena.garcia@usda.gov Address Agricultural Research Service
2150 Centre Avenue
Building D, Suite 300
Fort Collins, CO 80526
US
Next steps
Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.
You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).
Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to rachel.amroliwalla@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
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 following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
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
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resumes cannot exceed two pages.
The application process is as follows:
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status:
Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.
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Agency contact information
Lorena Garcia
Phone 571-363-2836 Email Lorena.garcia@usda.gov Address Agricultural Research Service
2150 Centre Avenue
Building D, Suite 300
Fort Collins, CO 80526
US
Next steps
Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.
You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).
Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to rachel.amroliwalla@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
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