U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Logo
Position Title
Forensic Laboratory Technician Evidence
Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Announcement Number
R9-21-11200255-JH (MP) Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, August 12, 2021 to Monday, August 23, 2021
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions AND you:
• have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more; OR,
• are retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. You must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
(limit characters)
3. (1)  The husband or wife of a member of the Armed Forces who, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, is performing active duty pursuant to orders that authorize a permanent change of station move, if such husband or wife relocates to the member's new permanent duty station;

-OR-

(2) The husband or wife of a totally disabled retired or separated member of the Armed Forces?

-OR-

(3) Are you the unremarried widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while performing active duty? For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 

the husband or wife of a totally disabled retired or separated member of the Armed Forces; or

To verify your eligibility for options 2 and 3 identified above, you must submit the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15 and all supporting documentation identified on that document (e.g., Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of service which includes character of service; death certificate and documentation identifying marital status at the time of death; disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service, etc..

(limit characters)
4. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position?

If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
5. Were you employed overseas as an Appropriated Fund employee AND did you: 
• complete 52 weeks of creditable overseas service in an appropriated fund position(s) as a family member during the time you accompanied a sponsor officially assigned to an overseas area; AND, 
• receive a fully successful or better (or equivalent) performance rating; AND, 
• return to the United States to resume residence less than 3 years ago? 

For more information, review USAJOBS Former Overseas Employees resources

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50, and performance appraisal.
(limit characters)
6. Do you meet one of the following Competitive Merit Promotion eligibilities:
 
  • Current or Former Federal Employee who has held or currently holds a career or career conditional appointment in the competitive service and has never held the full performance level of the position being announced.
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA)
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)  
(limit characters)
7. Have you successfully completed the Directorate Resource Assistant Fellows Program (DFP) and are within a two-year period of eligibility beginning on the date you completed your undergraduate or graduate degree? 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your certificate of completion of the program and transcripts as proof of non-competitive eligibility. 
(limit characters)
8. Are you a current permanent Department of the Interior or it's bureaus on a competitive career or career conditional appointment?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your latest SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
• Career or Career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
• your status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
(limit characters)
9. Have you completed at least 1 year of continuous service immediately before separation from one or more nontemporary Foreign Service appointments; AND, your separation from a Foreign Service career-type appointment occurred in the last 3 years (individuals entitled to veteran's preference do not need to meet this 3-year requirement)?

-OR

Have you completed at least 3 years of substantially continuous service under one or more nontemporary appointments in the Foreign Service immediately before separation from an unlimited, career-type appointment in that Service?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF- 50) reflecting your nontemporary status. If you are outside of the 3-year requirement but are entitled to veteran's preference, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service.
(limit characters)
10. Are you a former Public Land Corps (PLC) Member who served as a qualified youth, ages 16 to 30 years, on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours on Federal public lands within the last two (2) years?

      For more information go to: https://www.blm.gov/careers/students-and-grads/public-lands-corps

To verify your eligibility, you must provide:  a copy of your "Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring" along with a copy of your "PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet."
(limit characters)
11. Are you a current, permanent U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee?  

To verify your eligibility as a current U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
• career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
• status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
(limit characters)
12. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent. For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center. 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
13. Are you a current or former employee of a Land Management Agency and are serving or served under a time-limited competitive service appointment?  You may be eligible to compete under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, P.L. 114-47.

Current land management agency appointees must have initially been hired under competitive procedures for a time-limited appointment; must have served under one or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling  more than 24 months without a break in service of two or more years; and must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service.

Former land management agency employees must have initially been hired under competitive procedures for a time-limited appointment; must have served under one or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of two or more years; and must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service; must have been separated (with respect to their most recent separation) for reasons other than misconduct or performance, and must apply for a position covered by these provisions within two years of their most recent date of separation.

You must provide documentation showing all required periods of service (generally SF-50s) and acceptable performance (generally performance appraisal ratings or references from supervisors if employed for periods of time too short to require an appraisal.)
(limit characters)
14. Are you a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who has completed your service within the past twelve months? 

-OR

Are you a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who has completed your service within the past 36 months and are requesting an extension of your non-competitive eligibility due to your military service, status as a full-time student or other experience related to this position? 

-OR

Are you a current or former Peace Corps employee who has completed at least 36 months of continuous service and has been separated from the Peace Corps for less than three years? 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility. If you are a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who is requesting an extension of your non-competitive eligibility, please also provide the necessary documentation to support your request.
(limit characters)
15. Do you meet one of the following Non-Competitive eligibilities:
 
  • Current or Former Federal Employee who has held or currently holds a career or career conditional appointment in the competitive service and has held a permanent (non-temporary) position in the competitive service at the same or higher full performance level as the position being announced
  • Veterans who have a service connected disability of 30% or more
  • Certain Military Spouses (Relocating with your spouse under Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders / a spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury / a spouse of a service member killed while on active duty)
  • Certain Overseas Family Members (A family member of a federal employee, or uniformed service member, who has completed 52 weeks of service in a federal position overseas.)
  • Peace Corps/VISTA
  • Foreign Service Employees
  • Miscellaneous Authorities not regulated by OPM (Postal Career Service Employee; Postal Rate Commission Employee; Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee)
  • DOI or FWS Authorities not regulated by OPM 
  • Individuals with a Disability: Schedule A Disability appointments (Severe Physical, Psychiatric, Mental Disability)
  • Interchange agreement with other merit systems
 
(limit characters)
16. Are you a current Excepted Service employee of a Federal Agency that has a valid interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management? For more information, review Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems. 

-OR

Are you a current: 
• Postal Career Service Employee; 
• Postal Rate Commission Employee; 
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employee; or, 
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employee? 

For more information, review Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated By U.S. Office of Personnel Management. 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) reflecting your status.
(limit characters)
17. Do you have a severe physical, psychiatric or mental disability that qualifies you for a Schedule A Disability appointment? For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources

To verify your eligibility, you must provide appropriate medical documentation, i.e., a letter signed by a licensed medical professional or licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist stating your condition and restrictions.
(limit characters)
18. Were you formerly employed as a Federal civilian employee on a permanent competitive appointment or did you obtain career-conditional status (and are within 3 years of the date of separation or are a preference eligible) and have you never held the full performance level of this position?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your separation SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
• career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
• your status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
(limit characters)
19. Are you currently employed as a civilian employee in the competitive service in a Federal agency other than the Agency hiring for this position and have you never held the grade or full performance level of this position?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your separation SF- 50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
• career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
• your status was in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
(limit characters)
20. Are you a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions AND you:
• served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (Note: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
• are entitled to veterans' preference?

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources. 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of service which includes character of service.
(limit characters)
21. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions AND you:
• recently separated (within the past 3 years); OR
• are a disabled veteran; OR
• served on active duty during a war, campaign or expedition; OR,
• received an Armed Forces Service Medal?

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
(limit characters)
Assessment 1
Minimum Qualification (limit characters)
For each question, choose the response that best describes your experience and training. Mark only one response for each question. Please note that your answers will be verified against the information you provided in your resume or application and information provided by your references. (limit characters)
1. From the descriptions below, select the letter corresponding to the statement that most clearly and
accurately describes how you qualify for the Forensic Laboratory Technician (Evidence) at the grade GS-6 level.
(limit characters)
Knowledge of evidence handling procedures including documentation, sealing, and chain of custody, as it relates to law enforcement investigations. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
2. Handle legal, physical evidence to include procedures for packaging, documentation, and sealing to protect the integrity of the evidence.
(limit characters)
3. Maintain chain or custody records on evidence.
(limit characters)
4. Communicate with Law Enforcement Officers regarding processing evidence.
(limit characters)
5. Work in an evidence processing area to include security measures and transferring evidence into and out of storage, and/or between people.
(limit characters)
Basic knowledge of automated database and records management, sufficient to follow protocols and procedures as applied to a law enforcement evidence management system. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
6. Input, maintain and update data related to seized evidence in a computerized data management system
(limit characters)
7. Process electronic chain of custody records involved in the transfer of evidence.
(limit characters)
8. Use bar-code scanning equipment to identify and locate specific evidence
(limit characters)
Knowledge of procedures in the safe handling and shipping of potentially hazardous chemicals and biologicals. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
9. Handle and ship potentially hazardous biological and chemical materials in accordance with federal department of transportation and federal occupational safety and health administration regulations and guidelines
(limit characters)
10. Provide technical information to shippers on the packaging and shipping of hazardous materials to meet US Department of Transportation requirements.
(limit characters)
11. Clean and disinfect work areas where potentially hazardous biological and chemical materials are handled.
(limit characters)
Knowledge of scientific techniques related to the analysis of chemical and biological materials using a variety of scientific instrumentation, including, but is not limited to, mass spectrometers, energy-dispersive x-ray systems, scanning electron microscopes, multi-wavelength instruments, and similar equipment, and the recording, collation and storage of data. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
12. Work with scientific instrumentation such as mass spectrometers, energy-dispersive x-ray systems, scanning electron microscopes, multi-wavelength instruments, and similar equipment.
(limit characters)
13. Work with analytical reference collections.
(limit characters)
14. Collect, review, and organize data from the scientific analysis of materials.
(limit characters)
Knowledge of general scientific processes, procedures, and equipment used in a scientific laboratory. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
15. Assist with the scientific analysis of materials.
(limit characters)
16. Prepare chemical and biological reagents and samples to be analyzed following scientific procedures.
(limit characters)
17. Review, organize and curate scientific materials.
(limit characters)
Ability to follow standard procedures to determine the functional performance and calibration of scientific equipment. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
18. Verify the functional performance and calibration of scientific equipment such as analytical balances, pipettes, pH meters, etc.
(limit characters)
19. Maintain calibration records.
(limit characters)
20. Prepare standards and testing equipment to be used in testing the functional performance and calibration of scientific equipment.
(limit characters)
Skill in working with established quality assurance standards in a laboratory setting and how to verify that those standards have been met. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
21. Use quality assurance/quality control procedures to review and verify that the methods used in scientific analysis followed established standards.
(limit characters)
22. Document quality assurance/quality control activities for follow up.
(limit characters)
23. Work in a scientific laboratory adhering to quality assurance/quality control standards.
(limit characters)
Skill in the use of personal computers and automated programs/databases for word processing, data storage and retrieval. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
24. Operate computerized information and/or document processing systems to obtain or process information or documents
(limit characters)
25. Use automated database computer software to manage data.
(limit characters)
26. Prepare reports, charts, graphs from digital spreadsheets, databases, word processing software, etc.
(limit characters)
Condition of Employment: This position is subject to annual medical surveillance examinations as identified in the FWS Service Manual 242 FW 4, Medical Programs (Section 4.6D). (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
27. Forensic Laboratory Technicians (Evidence) are subject to annual medical surveillance examinations as identified in the FWS Service Manual 242
FW 4, Medical Programs. Please respond Yes or No that you understand and are able to follow this requirement.
(limit characters)
Condition of Employment: This position is subject to drug testing under the DOI Drug-free and Alcohol-free Workforce Plan. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
28. Forensic Laboratory Technicians (Evidence) are subject to drug testing under
the DOI Drug-free and Alcohol-free Workforce Plan. Please respond Yes or No that you understand and are able to follow this requirement.
(limit characters)
Condition of Employment: This position is limited to telework during emergencies only (e.g., inclement weather, natural disasters, continuity of government, and similar situations) . (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
29. Forensic Laboratory Technicians (Evidence) are limited to telework during emergencies only (e.g., inclement weather, natural disasters, continuity
of government, and similar situations). Please respond Yes or No that you understand and are able to follow this requirement.
(limit characters)