Biological Science Consultant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located in the Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) of the Research and Development Service at VA Boston Health Care System in Boston, MA. The Supervisory Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal) serves as a VMU Supervisor, overseeing the operations of VA Boston animal facilities at two locations (Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury).
NOTE: This announcement has been extended to close on September 8, 2026. Applicants who previously applied do not need to re-apply
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Duties
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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***
The Supervisory Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal) is completely responsible for the management of the (VMU).
Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Veterinary Medical Unit and special areas within the centralized facility such as experimental surgery, necropsy, cage washing, waste disposal, and diet preparation areas
• Controlling the animal population level by setting limitations, approving new animal purchases, and working with investigators to ensure population levels are consistent with the facility's ability to provide proper care
• Ensuring that the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) standards are maintained and that animal population is treated humanely under guidelines
• Serving as a permanent consultant to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and keeping them informed on the condition of the facility and research involving animals
• Overseeing ongoing major construction and maintenance projects occurring in the VMU that can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to complete
• Administering policies established by the IACUC and SRSS, as well as local and national policies relevant to animal care in a research setting
• Providing technical consultation to investigators, including facility resources, appropriate animal models, sources of supplies, animals, and equipment, and techniques for animal handling and procedures
• Assisting with training programs for investigators and technicians who use animal subjects
• Overseeing the administrative duties concerned with the budget, property, personnel management, and other healthcare facility services in matters of Veterinary Medical Unit operation and management
• Keeping abreast with up-to-date knowledge and maintaining a file of products and sources of medications, instruments, hardware, equipment, and all supplies commonly used in the VMU
• Originating reports annually regarding facility operations to USDA-APHIS, Department of Human Health Services (DHHS), and AAALAC, Int., Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), and Chief, VMO in VACO
• Monitoring the cost of animal care, recommending rate adjustments when needed. Handles personnel management and cost analysis, budgetary and bookkeeping matters about the VMU
• Supervising the VMU facility staff including all aspects such as day-to-day operations and procedures, scheduling assignments, performance evaluation, counseling, instructions, training, etc.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Requirements
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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. This position requires the application, assessment, and questionnaire to be fully completed. The 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must meet one of the following:
Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-10 level in the Federal service. 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. In addition, to qualify at this GS-11 level, applicants must also have experience performing duties in a laboratory setting utilizing knowledge of animal physiology, anatomy, restraint, and handling. NOTE: Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience. NOTE: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.
OR
Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position, i.e., Supervisory Biological Science Laboratory Technician (Animal). NOTE: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. NOTE: Transcripts required with application. If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.
OR
Combination of Experience and Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., 36 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11. NOTE: Transcripts required with application. If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

Supervisory Situational Judgment Test. Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment and decision-making skills that align with relevant competencies, organizational values, and best practices. Assessment results may be used as part of the evaluation, ranking and referral process. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. The assessment for this application does not include a cut score for a minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. However, you must answer each item in the assessment.
IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
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.
Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
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.
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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.
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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.