Student Trainee (Biology)

General InformationIn order to be eligible to receive consideration for this position, you must be able to: (1) report to the duty station location listed in this vacancy announcement, during the school year, if selected; and (2) be available to work the schedule identified.

Salary: (Step 01) to (Step 10)

GS-2: $16.67 to $20.11

GS-3: $17.00 to $20.88

GS-4: $18.69 to $24.30

GS-5: $20.91 to $27.18

NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

The USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center is seeking an undergraduate student working towards a degree in Biology to gain practical experience in (collecting, sorting, and organizing laboratory samples). The student will primarily work in the Michigan Bacteriological Research Laboratory located in Lansing, Michigan.

As a Student Trainee (Biology) you will serve in a trainee capacity, performing routine and recurring development assignments to acquire knowledge and understanding of functions, principles, practices, and methods used in the area of biology

Duties include:

• Assists in collecting, sorting, and organizing laboratory samples.

• Follows detailed instructions in performing laboratory duties such as cleaning, packaging, and sterilizing glassware and other laboratory equipment. Maintains general order and cleanliness of the laboratory.

• Following detailed instructions, measures and makes laboratory solutions.

• Operates pH meter, spectrophotometer, electronic balance to determine chemical and physical characteristics of compounds and solutions. Records data.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The field work requires some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities. The work requires moderate physical ability and average agility and dexterity.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in an office, laboratory, and/or in the field. The office is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

Temperature and weather extremes may be encountered in the performance of the outdoor work. Field and laboratory duties may require the use of special protective gear. The incumbent is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow workers, or property with which entrusted.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Internship Program:

• You must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate program on a full- or half-time basis as defined by the school (certificate program means post-secondary education, in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum); AND

• Enrollment is with a qualifying educational institution such as a high school or state-approved homeschool; or accredited technical or vocational school; a 2- or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g., law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum; AND

• Students currently enrolled must be in good academic standing maintaining a 2.0 grade point average on a cumulative basis; AND

• The duties of this position should be related to your academic or career goals.

• You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your appointment under the Pathways Internship Program.

Students who successfully complete the internship program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent appointment or a term (1-4 years in duration) appointment without further competition. Eligibility requirements for conversion: must be a U.S.

Citizen; complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program (*may waive up to a total of 320 hours under specific conditions); successfully complete your degree or certificate requirements from a qualifying institution; meet the qualification requirements for the position to which you will be converted; meet agency-specific requirements as outlined in the Participant's Agreement; and must have performed successfully in your position as documented through performance evaluations. *NOTE: To learn more about the conditions under which a portion of the work experience hours may be waived, visit https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/students-and-recent-graduates.

Qualification Requirements

This internship is geared toward students majoring in one of the following areas of study: an appropriate field of science i.e., microbiology, biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.

For GS-02:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-2 level:

Three months of experience of any kind that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position;

OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation

OR high school graduation or the equivalent.

For GS-03:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-3 level:

Six months of general experience of any kind that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position; or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation;

OR one full year of successfully completed education above the high school level that included at least 6 semester hours in courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of math (except for financial and commercial math).For GS-04:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-4 level:

Six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-3 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of the position to be filled. NOTE: Excess specialized experience beyond the required 6 months may be substituted for general experience; i.e., one year of creditable specialized experience will meet the requirements for 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience.

General experience is any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position to be filled, OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation for which the applicant is applying.

Specialized experience may include work as a technician or aid in a research activity or control program work, nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment, or 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 if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. 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.

Examples of GS-3 level work assignments include: 1) Weighing, grinding or mixing samples; 2) Preparing laboratory glassware, equipment, and apparatus requiring special cleaning, sterilization or washing procedures; 3) Removing dead fish and/or wildlife from ponds, raceways, and habitats; 4) Assisting higher level staff in: reading and recording results of instruments, taking samples, performing standard tests, or collecting data for studies. For examples 1-4, a designated authority made assignments by indicating generally what was to be done, limitations, quality and quantity expected, deadlines, and priority of assignments.

Additional specific instructions were provided for new, more difficult or unusual assignments or those that were not straightforward and/or repetitive. Recurring assignments were carried out within established procedures and with minimal instruction.

OR applicants may substitute successful completion of two full years of study that included at least 12 semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of courses such as microbiology, biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours or the equivalent of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled.

OR a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized and/or general experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for the GS-04 level. NOTE: When crediting education to meet any part of the experience requirement, such education must include the appropriate number of directly related credit hours required in any combination of courses such as microbiology, biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. When crediting this education, you must prorate the number of hours of directly related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.

For GS-05:

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Biologist, all grade levels.

A. Degree in 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 (24 semester hours or the equivalent in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.