Federal
Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist Chemist Biologist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency · Department of Defense
About This Position
This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent will be responsible for recognized expert in the scientific principles of chemical and biological C/B weapons, weapons effects, biological effects, and weapons defensive measures, and associated research, development, test and evaluation science and technology programs. Serves as an expert for emergency response capabilities, programs, Science & Technology, operations, and U.S. policies addressing the C/B threat.
Qualifications
You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Utilizing scientific and technical expertise to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large-scale Chemical and Biological (C/B) threats or incidents; Providing guidance regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of (C/B) detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training, exercises, and incidents; and/or Identifying C/B technological trends, to provide recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, regarding C/B site exploitation planning and execution. (Experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.) You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Leading the coordination, analysis, and integration of conflicting activities and developing technical and programmatic strategies in a Science and Technology business area of emphasis; Utilizing scientific and technical expertise to senior officials and crisis response leaders to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large-scale Chemical and Biological (C/B) threats or incidents; Providing advice on a rapid basis even in the absence of complete information; Applying expert guidance, without supervision, regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of (C/B) detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training, exercises, and incidents; and/or Identifying C/B technological and threat trends, to provide authoritative advice and recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, regarding C/B site exploitation planning and execution. (Experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.) 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. In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1301 series as listed below: Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics Or Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in Degree above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0401 series as listed below: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1320 series as listed below: Degree: 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 Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Major Duties
This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated August 12, 2024. As an Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist Chemist Biologist at the GS-0401/1301/1320-12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include: Participate as a member of the Technical Support Group (TSG) to deploy in support of Combatant Commander and other federal D/As in C/B emergency response events and training. Provide authoritative advice and recommendations, as a recognized expert in C/B weapons and detection, on chemical/biological operational and S&T programs. Provide on-site training, operational, scientific, and technical support to command sponsored technical training and exercises and other Joint Chief of Staff/theater sponsored exercises. Serve as the DTRA focal point for providing program planning, review, and oversight of specific short duration R&D programs related to chemical/biological (C/B) matters. Integrate requirements for the support of chemical/biological event response into the DTRA Operations Center, Department of Defense (DoD) point of contacts for implementation of crisis action/emergency response within the C/B area.
Education
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
How You Will Be Evaluated
We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position. Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements. Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the " Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp)" eligibility. If you are claiming Military Spouse eligibility and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager. Information and required documentation for claiming Military Spouse eligibility may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below.
Additional Information
Other Notes: This position is Emergency-Essential (E-E). In the event of a crisis situation, the incumbent, or designated alternate, must continue to perform the E-E duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent or the designated alternate may be required to take part in readiness exercises. The position cannot be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively; therefore, the position is designated "key" which requires the incumbent, or designated alternate, to be screened from military recall status. This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922 (g) (91). Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1001). Incumbent must be able to qualify with a pistol according to U. S. Army standards. This position requires pre-employment and annual deployment physical exams, which will be evaluated by DTRA Occupational Health professionals to determine if deployability criteria are met. The incumbent must meet the medical requirements for deployment before and throughout employment. Subject to rotational assignments to locations in the U.S. and to locations outside the continental U.S. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid passport. Incumbent will participate in specialized classroom and field training related to the position. RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdfAll applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov))
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12882952 Please review the General Application Information and Definitions at: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d
Required Documents
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. The following documents are REQUIRED 1. Your resume: IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. 2. Transcripts: This position has a degree or education requirement so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned. 3. SF50 All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG). 4. Veteran's Documents: If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty. PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist Chemist Biologist position at Defense Threat Reduction Agency?
The salary range for this position is $89,508 - $138,370/yr. This is a GS-12/13 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist Chemist Biologist job located?
This position is located in Eglin AFB, Florida. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Utilizing scientific and technical expertise to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large-scale Chemical and Biological...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Mar 9, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
What does GS-12/13 mean?
GS-12/13 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.