Microbiologist

Summary

The position is based at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), Office of Science (OS), Division of Product Science (DPS), Microbiology Branch, located in Silver Spring, Maryland, within the Department of Health and Human Services. CTP is the FDA center responsible for implementing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act), landmark legislation passed by Congress in 2009 that established federal authority to regulate tobacco products.

Duties

Demonstrates authoritative knowledge of microbiology principles, methodologies, and regulatory science. Applies expert-level scientific judgment to interpret complex data, design studies, and provide guidance to stakeholders. Communicates complex scientific information clearly, accurately, and persuasively in both written and oral formats to diverse audiences, including scientists, regulatory officials, industry representatives, and the public. Initiates, designs, and presents scientific research to fill knowledge gaps relevant to regulatory decisions. Maintains current awareness of emerging science through review of relevant literature and other scientific resources. Provides advice on new findings through review of scientific literature, participation in professional meetings and undertaking independent research.

Qualifications and evaluation

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (ET) of the closing date: 08/21/2026 Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position (as listed in this vacancy announcement above) will be evaluated based Accomplishment Record Review. An Accomplishment Record (AR) is a structured assessment tool used to collect detailed information about applicants' training, education, experience, and past achievements as they relate to the critical competencies required for a specific position. It is grounded in the behavioral consistency principle - the well-established idea that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior on the job. Applicants are asked to submit written narrative descriptions of personal accomplishments that best illustrate their proficiency in key job competencies, which are typically between four and eight competencies per assessment. Each narrative should describe: (1) the problem or situation faced, (2) the specific actions the applicant took, and (3) the results or outcomes achieved. Accomplishment statements are evaluated by a panel of trained raters using competency-based benchmarks developed specifically for the targeted occupation. Scoring is based on the degree to which the behaviors and outcomes described in an applicant's accomplishment reflect the benchmark levels of proficiency - not simply on the length or eloquence of the narrative. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). You need not respond to the KSA's separately, but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of these competencies. Competency 1- Applied Scientific Knowledge and Technical Proficiency Competency 2- Written and Oral Communication Competency 3- Planning and Project Support Competency 4- Research Support and Scientific Currency Category Rating (CR): If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. CR does not add veterans preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible Vets who meet the minimum qualification requirements with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% or higher must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). Career Transition Assistance Programs: Employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Referral Consideration: If you are referred to the hiring manager for consideration, you may be further evaluated based on an interview, review of requested work samples, etc. Failure to comply with any of the additional assessment requirements will result in removal from further consideration.

Education

TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific educational requirements. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities, see the Foreign Education section below for additional requirements. Pay careful attention to the Qualifications and Education sections to identify vacancies where a transcript is required. Even if you hold a similar position or are a current employee, you are not exempt from transcript requirements. Electronic Transcript Caution: If you have obtained your transcripts electronically, the file might contain security measures that could prevent our application system from reading the file. Therefore, you should consider asking the institution to provide the file in a non-secured electronic format. Alternatively, you could scan or take a photo of the printed copy of the transcript. If your uploaded transcript cannot be read by our system, you may receive consideration and credit for the information we can access. FOREIGN EDUCATION Applicants using part, or all of their education completed outside of the U.S. to meet the qualification requirements, must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. We will only accept the completed foreign credential evaluation. To be acceptable, the foreign credential evaluation must include/describe at a minimum, the following information: (1) The type of education received by the applicant; (2) The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Evaluation Standards Council; (3) The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad, and the standard obtained; (4) The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and (5) Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of the evaluator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery. Note: Some positions require the completion of specific courses or a specified number of credit hours. Therefore, the foreign credential evaluation should provide information similar to that of an official transcript, to include a list of the courses taken, quarter and/or semester hours awarded, the cumulative grade point average (GPA), honors received, if any, date degree awarded. Applicants can request an evaluation from a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services listed below: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) Credential evaluations are not free, and applicants are responsible for the cost of the selected service. For more information about this requirement, please visit the : https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

How to apply

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are optional and will not be scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot). Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. To apply for positions with the Food & Drug Administration, you must log into https://secure.login.gov/ account and be signed in to that account before you click the "Apply Online" button. See the USAJOBS Help Article "How does the application process work?" for more on this process. Additionally, you must provide a resume and any required supporting documentation listed on the announcement, and you must complete all assessment questionnaires BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement, 08/21/2026. We recommend that you start the application process early enough that you can complete and submit your application before this deadline. Please note that you cannot submit documentation or make changes to your application after the deadline, and in most cases, only experience and education obtained by this date will be considered. If you would like to learn how to use USAJOBS including: accessing and managing your account, adding saved documents, building a resume, or starting an application; we recommend you visit the USAJOBS How To site, and read up on any topic that you need help with. This site is located at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Additionally, if you need technical assistance with USAJOBS (such as account issues) please visit the main USAJOBS Contact us at: USAJOBS - Contact us FDA's Applicant Help Desk is not able to support USAJOBS-related issues. The Food & Drug Administration uses a system called Application Manager (USA Staffing) to post jobs and accept applications. If you are not familiar with Application Manager or you encounter any difficulty with the site, we recommend that you visit the Applicant HELP Site at: https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us. This help site contains step-by-step instructions for completing the application process, submitting documentation, and completing questionnaires, and should be very helpful to you! You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. The FDA will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who are not able to apply online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Applicant Help Desk. Decisions on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If after reviewing the USAJOBS and Application Manager help sites, you're not able to find the answer to your question or concern, or if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 866-807-3742, or e-mail ERIC@fda.hhs.gov The Applicant Help Desk is staffed between the hours of 7am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for government holidays. If you contact the Applicant Help Desk, please provide the following Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 13033572 so that we may assist you faster. To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13033572

Required documents

Resume: At a minimum, your resume should list the position title, employer name, start and end dates (including month and year), salary (or grade and step), hours worked per week, and a list of duties performed or accomplishments, for EACH position listed. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements. USAJobs - What to Include USAJobs - Page Limit Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). Transcripts: If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on education, unofficial transcripts or a list of courses must be provided. See the Qualifications and Education Requirements section of this announcement. Professional Licensure: If the position has a licensure requirement, a copy of your professional license must be provided. See the Qualifications and Education Requirements section of this announcement. Additional Documents (if applicable): Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other supporting documentation not listed above PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. I/CTAP: If you are a current/former Federal employee who is surplus or displaced, please submit supporting documentation (e.g., a Certification of Expected Separation, separation notice, RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal, SF-50 for RIF separation, etc.) and your most recent performance appraisal. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must be found well-qualified for this position and have a current performance appraisal rating of at least "Fully Successful". See the How You Will Be Evaluated section for the agency's definition of well-qualified. Learn more on the USAJOBS Career Transition Assistance Site. Veterans' Preference: Veterans must submit a DD-214 form (Certificate of Release or Discharge) that has the dates of service and discharge status and VA disability letter (if applicable). Active Duty Members: To claim status under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, submit written documentation from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package. Parents of Deceased or Disabled Veterans: To claim preference, you must submit a copy of the deceased or disabled veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. Please follow the instructions in the SF-15 on required documentation to be submitted. Widow or Widower: To claim preference, you must submit a copy of the deceased or disabled veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. Please follow the instructions in the SF-15 on required documentation to be submitted. Spouse of a Living Veteran: To claim preference, you must submit a copy of the veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference, and Documentation of Veteran's Inability to Work Because of a Service-Connected Disability. Please follow the instructions in the SF-15 on required documentation to be submitted.

Additional information

For some advertisements, the FDA receives hundreds, even thousands, of applications from job-seekers. The agency reserves the option of setting an application number limit. When a limit is set, USAJOBS will close the vacancy at 11:59 pm ET on either: (A) the day the limit is reached, -OR- (B) the pre-defined closing date of 08/21/2026, whichever comes first. If the limit is reached before 11:59 pm ET, all applications in excess of the limit will continue to be accepted until 11:59 pm ET. The application limit, if applicable, for this advertisement is: 100 applicants For more information about announcement closing, see: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/job-announcement/closing-types Financial Disclosure: Please be advised that this position may be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation. If you are hired, you may be required to divest of certain financial interests. You are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting any job offers. For more information please visit the FDA Ethics web page: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/jobs-and-training-fda/ethics. If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 08/21/2026) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/political-appointees-and-career-civil-service-positions-faq/ Incentives: Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc. Special Appointing Authorities: If you are applying for eligibility based on a disability, veteran status, or under a career transition program, please pay careful attention to the Required Documents section for a detailed explanation of eligibility requirements to include supporting documentation. Pre-Employment Physical: No Drug Testing Requirement: No License Requirement: No Immunization Requirement: No Mobility Agreement Required: No Bargaining Unit: No Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. To demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.