This position is located under the Office of Science and Technology, Forensic Sciences Division, Laboratory Services Branch, Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory in Wichita, Kansas. Laboratory work encompasses a broad range of responsibilities critical to ATF's mission of combatting violent crime. Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is a hiring authority granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address critical hiring needs or severe candidate shortages.
Duties
The incumbent serves as a Forensic Biologist and the Assistant DNA Technical Leader in a Forensic Science Laboratory within the Office of Science and Technology (OST) responsible for providing forensic support of the Bureau's primary law enforcement missions and technical guidance to laboratory personnel. ATF Laboratory Services conducts scientific, technical, and physical analyses on evidentiary material and analyzes data connected with criminal investigations. Functions as a leading technical expert in one or more specialized areas of forensic DNA analysis, providing leadership, advice, and assistance to ATF officials, laboratory personnel, other federal agencies, state and local government organizations, private laboratories, and industry. Performs forensic DNA examinations of the highest complexity and analyzes a variety of samples including complex mixtures. Provides training and guidance in technical duties and evaluates the analytical work of peers and lower graded biologists or technicians. Evaluates new technology, methods, and/or scientific equipment for adoption or acquisition by Laboratory Services. Prepares laboratory reports and documents conclusions as well as interpretation of the analytical results.
Salary
Qualifications
Basic Requirements A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR B. Combination of education and experience -- Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. AND To qualify for this position at the GS-14 grade level, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-13 by the closing date of this announcement. Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume. Specialized experience must include all of: Performing DNA examinations on the most difficult evidence without technical guidance; AND Interpretting, evaluating, and analyzing the results of a variety of samples, including complex mixtures; AND Using laboratory policies, regulations, standard approaches, and methods to perform expert forensic DNA examinations; AND Evaluating new technology and developing or modifying analytical procedures to improve forensic DNA analysis; AND Acting as a project manager or coordinator of ongoing complex and unique projects or programs within the laboratory. Experience as a qualified forensic DNA examiner in an accredited crime laboratory is preferred. Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.
Education
Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Required Documents
It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility. Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two-page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history. Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training, your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations. Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (including month and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, Your Pay Plan/Series/Grade for all federal positions, A list of duties performed and accomplishments. Resumes must be limited to two pages in length. Applicants with resumes longer than two pages will not be considered. You can only submit one resume; Only the most recent resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes. Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations. Transcript- All Applicants: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.) CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter), Your most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location. It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying online poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process. Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement. Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on (Close Date) to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 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. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. 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. To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit My Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement is closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. Your applications will appear on the Welcome page. Navigate to the job application and click Track this application to view your application status. The link will take you to the hiring agency application system, which has the most up-to-date status of your application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means click here. Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position. NEED HELP? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.
