Safety Technician

Summary

This position is located within Agricultural Research Service, Plains Area, National Biological and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, KS. In this position, you will perform different operational biosafety activities ensuring biocontainment laboratory facilities and equipment are in compliance with applicable biosafety regulations, industry standards, institutional policy and accepted best practices.

Duties

• Participates in the operational and preventive maintenance programs to coincide with biocontainment requirements, biorisk and occupational health and safety, environmental regulations, and operational procedures.
• Conducts gaseous (or alternative) sterilization/decontamination of contaminated equipment or biocontainment facilities.
• Monitors environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature and makes adjustments to enhance sterilization/decontamination efficacy.
• Conducts biological monitoring and assays results as a quality control measure to determine effectiveness of sterilization or decontamination procedures.
• Uses equipment, pre and post calibrates of this equipment, analyzes and interprets results obtained, and records and reports data collected.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is: Assisting in the inspection, preventative maintenance, testing, or repair of HVAC devices or their controllers and working with biocontainment systems including smoke testing, HEPA and PALL filter certifications, and containment laboratory inspections. GS-08 Specialized Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is: Participating in performing operation, preventive maintenance, modification, repair, testing, or certification of containment systems including HVAC devices, Effluent Decontamination Systems (EDSs), HEPA filters or Biosafety Cabinets (BCSs) and performing sterilization or decontamination of equipment or rooms. GS-09 Specialized Experience: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-08 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is: Independently performing operational and preventive maintenance of biocontainment systems; Inspecting and certifying HEPA filtration, biosafety cabinets, and HVAC components for regulatory compliance; and assess items for decontamination needs and conducts smoke testing for containment integrity. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Demands: Work requires stooping, walking, climbing, working above shoulder height, or bending. In addition, the work requires an average degree of dexterity and strength with the movement and placement of equipment (up to 50 pounds with support). Some work may involve wearing of personal protective equipment, including a respirator (N-95 or PAPR), while entering infectious disease laboratories, engineering support areas, or animal facilities areas. Travel may be required. Work Conditions: The work is performed in an office, infectious diseases laboratories, indoor and outdoor animal holding facilities, necropsy rooms, and building mechanical spaces. Temperature extremes are common; exposure to disagreeable odors, working around frightened, unpredictable, and ill-natured animals; and exposure to the risks and hazards of harmful biological, chemical, and physical agents are possible. Other hazards include electrical shock, working at heights, physical injury from tools and equipment, noise, and eye hazards, etc. Immunizations with vaccines may be required to enter facilities conducting work with human diseases. The incumbent is required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or respirators, disposable personal protective clothing, hearing protection, eye protection, boots, gloves, and coveralls. When working in BSL-4, the incumbent must wear a full body encapsulated positive pressure suit. Containment Work Re…

Education

No education requirements. Personal Recognizance Quarantine (PRQ): Due to the contagious nature to livestock of Foot-and-Mouth disease, and other diseases under study at NBAF, Select Agent Regulations specify a personal quarantine for the incumbent entering biocontainment. As a condition of employment, all personnel entering biocontainment facilities at NBAF must not be in contact with specific susceptible animals for a period of five (5) days after leaving biocontainment. Currently, restricted species include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, other ruminants, and swine. Contact with horses, birds (agricultural and pet birds) and rabbits are normally permitted, but restrictions may be placed on staff working with or near-contagious agents affecting these species. Restricted livestock or other restricted animal may not be housed on the premises where the employee lives and where quarantine cannot be enforced. Incumbents who violate this requirement may be removed from employment or may be subject to other disciplinary action. Medical confidentiality will be maintained by the examining physician and only fitness (or unfit) for duty determinations will be indicated. As required, periodic fitness for duty physicals will be scheduled. In addition, medical clearance will be required if it becomes necessary to enter an area where an air purifying respirator or other respiratory protection is required.