The Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) is looking for a Supervisory Chemist/Toxicologist who will conduct the full range of forensic urine and oral fluid screening to detect drug use. If you are experienced in the use of Immunoassay instruments for analyzing urine and oral fluid specimens for drugs of abuse and able to lead a staff of scientific professionals in the forensic toxicology field, then PSA wants you! Bargaining Unit Status and Chapter: Not Covered, AFGE Local 1456.
To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic professional requirements, and specialized experience requirement below. For Chemistry Series 1320: A) A degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR B) Combination of education and experience, course work equivalent to a major as shown above, including at least 30 semester hours of chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education; AND C) One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level that equipped you with the skills needed to perform the job duties. Specialized experience is defined as experience in the methodology of immunoassay testing, the quality assurance and quality controls requirements for immunoassay testing using urine and oral fluid as matrices, the set-up, calibration, operation, and maintenance of current state of the art Immunoassay instruments and supervising a staff who conducts the full range of forensic screening analyses to detect drug use. Supervisory experience also includes, training assigning work, providing technical oversight, developing performance plans, evaluating/appraising performance, attracting new talent, taking disciplinary measures, and facilitating professional development for a workforce. For Toxicology Series 0415: A) A degree in toxicology; or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology; AND B) One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level that equipped you with the skills needed to perform the job duties. Specialized experience is defined as experience in the methodology of immunoassay testing, the quality assurance and quality controls requirements for immunoassay testing using urine and oral fluid as matrices, the set-up, calibration, operation, and maintenance of current state of the art Immunoassay instruments and supervising a staff who conducts the full range of forensic screening analyses to detect drug use. Supervisory experience also includes, training assigning work, providing technical oversight, developing performance plans, evaluating/appraising performance, attracting new talent, taking disciplinary measures, and facilitating professional development for a workforce. NOTE: Your resume must clearly show the specialized experience related to this position. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the experience requirements will result in an "Ineligible" rating.
As a Supervisory Chemist (Forensic) or Toxicologist (Forensic), you will: 1. Supervise Toxicologists and Chemists performing the full range of confirmation analysis including specialized experience in Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and tandem Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). Monitor staff in interpretation of test results and in recording and documenting chain-of-custody, test procedures, results and other required information. Ensure compliance with standard forensic and office procedures. Oversee the preparation of manual and automated records and maintenance of testing data in relevant PSA, CSOSA and court systems. Ensure the application of rules relevant to confidentiality of information assuring that information is released to the appropriate people under the appropriate circumstances. 2. Oversee staff court representation. Personally, testify as an expert witness when necessary. Explain highly complex scientific and forensic procedures that are used in drug testing as well as results and their implications for individual defendants. 3. Develop methods for and evaluates daily operations, identifying areas where changes are needed to improve overall scientific and legal proficiency in drug detection as well as improvements in processes, costs or other areas. Recommend new approaches, revision in policy or protocol, or other changes to management and provides technical and managerial rationale. Implement and certify new policies and protocols. Participate in the development of long and short-range plans for the Office of Toxicology Services (OFTS). 4. Responsible for the continuous monitoring of the scientific performance of the unit. Review all screening and confirmation data, and monitor control, performance and compliance with standards, protocols and procedures. Monitor reagents and instruments and prepare and certify standards and controls. Monitor OFTS instruments and reviews maintenance. Order reagents as needed for testing and maintenance. Assist the lab director in enrolling OFTS in appropriate Proficiency Testing Program (s). Monitor lab's regular and successful participation in external proficiency test. Adhere to OFTS' QA/QC program and CLIA accreditation requirements and prepares lab for CLIA accreditation. 5. Supervise assigned staff. Assign work and establish priorities. Administer personnel programs in leave and absence, awards, and recognition and programs in affirmative action and equal employment opportunity Counsel employees on performance and administrative issues; interviews candidates for positions and recommends personnel actions. Establish performance standards and evaluates employee performance. Identify and address staff training needs. 6. Maintain current awareness of trends and developments relating to forensic drug testing. Review scientific and forensic professional literature to keep abreast of the latest instrumental procedures, pharmacokinetics and expert witness information. Advise management on potential applications of new developments to the OFTS. 7. Skill in the preparation, validation, and certification of standard and control reagents and/or solutions for drug analyses.