About This Role
This chemist position involves independently planning and carrying out chemical analysis on various meat, poultry, egg products, and Siluriformes. The role requires interpreting and evaluating analysis results against agency regulations to determine sample compliance.
Responsibilities
- Independently plan and carry out chemical analysis on a variety of meat, poultry, egg products, and Siluriformes
- Interpret and evaluate results of analysis to pertinent agency regulations to determine whether the sample is violative
- Defend and/or explain analysis and evaluation by completing a thorough justification to your Supervisor and/or other OPHS officials
- Assess and make recommendations to changes in standard operating procedures when necessary, to better align broad guidelines specified under the ISO quality assurance program
- Perform analytical services associated with detecting chemical residues in meat and poultry products
- Troubleshoot all instrumentation used in the analysis process
- Apply an in-depth understanding of the interrelationships between the analysis process and instruments/equipment used
- Apply/maintain quality assurance procedures of instruments, equipment, reagents, and standards
- Maintain open communications with personnel from all segments of FSIS (field employees, technical service center employees, plant personnel, FSIS managers, and representatives from industry)
Requirements
- At least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, including professional work in a food chemistry, food analysis or residue laboratory
- Analytical chemistry work that required the operation of a variety of instruments and strong training in instrumental analysis
- Computer experience including programming and troubleshooting laboratory instruments
- Experience or training in food chemistry quality control work that included the application of ISO 17025 standards and guides
- Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in the physical or life sciences
- 30 semester hours in CHEMISTRY, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics
