PDF versionJob Summary
This position is located within the Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (West Los Angeles and Sepulveda) Medical Research Service. The Greater Los Angeles Medical Research Service (GLAMRS) program spreads over two campuses to support one of the largest and most diverse enterprises within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Biologist serves in the areas of tumor biology for projects designed to study the basic biology and pathology of multiple myeloma tumors.
Major Duties
Major duties and responsibilities include:
- Participating as a key member of the research team in designing and carrying out experiments related to this specialized area of research.
- Developing research proposals, implementation of the scientific investigations, presentation of the findings in scientific conferences and subsequent writing of reports and/or scientific articles for publication, and identification of new areas of myeloma research.
- Developing a wide variety of assays and techniques for manipulating and studying myeloma tumors
engrafted in the bone marrow, specifically testing how the bone marrow microenviroment impacts on
myeloma celluar phenotypes, resistance to chemotherapy, and metabolic changes that are mediated by
activation of hypoxia-inducible factors, the regulation of the intracellular and extracellular acid/base pH
pathways, identifying critical molecules and factors that are involved in regulating myeloma growth,
survival, and formation of osteolytic bone lessions, and determining the myeloma responses to targeted
chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. - Using cell-based and mouse-based specialized assays and procedures, including the preparation of quantitative and qualitative reagents and standards.
- Carrying out complex experiments, which will include: a) genetically modifying and characterizing myeloma tumor cells in order to target specifically definded intracellular molecular pathways; b) analyze the impact of
drugs and modified environmental conditions that target the hypoxia-inducible system and pH regulation
in myeloma tumors in vivo and in vitro; and c) develop protocols, troubleshoot, perform, and analyze
specific molecular and cellular procedures to study myeloma and the bone marrow microenvironment.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30 pm
NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Qualifications
IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-11 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BASIC REQUIREMENTS: BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college leading to a bachelor's degree or higher in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the work of this Biologist position. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) ~OR~ BASIC COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: You must possess a combination of education that included a major field of study or specific course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, plus appropriate experience or additional education that demonstrates possession of the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the work of this Biologist position. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE AND COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC REQUIREMENT LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST ALSO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of a Biologist. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes: experience in genetic engineering and myeloma cell transformation, myeloma cell culture, molecular biology, immunoblots, preparation of myeloma tumor samples; recording and analysis of changes in myeloma phenotypes for quantification of the adaptive hypoxic response of myeloma tumors, protocols for studying expression patterns of a wide range of cellular proteins and mRNA species; use of specialized imaging equipment to study the expression of protein signals in cell culture and tissue sections; performing and analyzing the results of optical imaging of myeloma tumors engrafted in the bone marrow. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) ~OR~ SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: You must have successfully completed 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree with a major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the work of this Biologist position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) ~OR~ COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: You must possess an equivalent combination of successfully completed related graduate level education and specialized experience as described above, to meet the total experience requirements for this position at the GS-11 level. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE AND COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
Analysis and Problem SolvingBiologyLife Sciences and SystemsResearch IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Pay Range
$70,737.00 - $91,965.00