Drug Science Specialist

Duties

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Diversion Control Division (DC), Chemical and Evaluation Section (DOE).

This position's primary purpose is to provide authoritative scientific guidance in establishing the agency position regarding drug abuse and drug and chemical control issues.

As a Drug Science Specialist, your typical work assignments may include:

• Serving as a technical specialist in physical sciences and related regulatory areas, working with a scientific team that reviews complex scientific information in areas involving complex fact patterns, policies, programs, or regulations that are not well defined.
• Analyzing and recommends changes to key policies related to coordinating a regulatory review, compliance, and/or enforcement program, such as drug and chemical scheduling and drug-related legislative and regulatory initiatives.
• Identifying and recommending areas where scientific advances or changes may affect policy in pursuing organizational goals and objectives.
• Preparing articles and reports presenting study results for publication in scientific and technical journals, for presentation at national and international meetings of professional groups, and for inclusion in progress reports of the Section and Office.
• Evaluating and synthesizing complex scientific data on abuse and diversion potentials, as well as the licit and illicit uses of drugs and chemicals.
  
  

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
• Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.
• Selectee may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
  
  

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education or if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) AND Specialized Experience requirements as noted below.

Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Education

Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position.

AND

Specialized Experience Required

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying specialized experience. Specialized 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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

One Year Of Specialized Experience For This Position Includes

GS-12: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level or pay band in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: 1) Evaluating existing data sources, defining requirements, and investigating new data sources; 2) Advising on drug and chemical control under the Controlled Substances Act and international treaties; 3) Interpreting and applying laws regulations, policies and international treaties and their applicability to the regulation of drugs and chemicals; and 4) Preparing periodic reports.

GS-13: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level or pay band in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: 1) Evaluating complex scientific data on potential abuse or diversion of drugs or chemicals; 2) Evaluating chemistry, and related policy issues and developing new policies; 3) Implementing long range scientific goals and strategies for an organization; and 4) Preparing articles and presenting study results for publication in scientific and technical journals.

Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook .

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See the qualification section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

This position requires specific coursework and/or a degree to meet the basic education requirement. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php .

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Additional Information

For reasonable accommodation at the Drug Enforcement Administration, please contact the Human Resources office listed in this announcement.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement.

Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives may be considered and approved under conditions specified provided the agency has determined that the position is likely to be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and funding for such an incentive is available.

If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.