Biological Science Laboratory Technician

Duties

Summary

This position is located within the Pest Management Research Unit of the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Lab for USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Sidney, MT. In this position, you will perform a variety of technical duties in one or more phases of a research project related to the sustainable management of insect pests in agroecosystems with a focus on entomology, insect ecology and conservation biological control.

Requirements

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-6

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-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 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 assisting in a research project related to plants, insects, ecology or agroecosystems; operating or maintaining laboratory and field equipment; and keeping records of scientific information. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Entomology, Ecology, Biology, Environmental or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-7

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 participating in a research project related to plants, insects, ecology or agroecosystems; statistically analyzing or summarizing data; and operating or maintaining laboratory and field equipment. OR Education: One full year of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Entomology, Ecology, Biology, Environmental or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-8

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 a research project related to plants, insects, ecology or agroecosystems; collecting or evaluating plant or insect samples; operating or maintaining laboratory or field equipment; and compiling scientific information for report preparation. OR Education: Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Master's degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Entomology, Ecology, Biology, Environmental or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.

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.

Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.