Biologist
Agency
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Location
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia
Salary
$167,603 - $195,200 Per Year
13 months, may be extended up to four years
Open & closing dates
Posted: September 29, 2025
Closes: October 6, 2025 (1 days left)
Job Description
NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Biologist to join our team! CAISI is seeking a candidate who will evaluate the chemical and biological capabilities of AI systems, and help lead collaborations to conduct and interpret national security-relevant chemical and biological evaluations. This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
Qualifications
All applicants must submit a resume NOT TO EXCEED two pages on standard-size paper. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed for qualifications or assessment determinations. Basic Requirements 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 the basic requirements, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 (ZP-IV at NIST) or equivalent grade level. Specialized experience is defined as: -Strong subject matter expertise in Biotechnology, Computational Biology, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Structural Bioinformatics or closely related field -Experience collaborating with national security agencies and stakeholders, especially in the Intelligence Community (IC), on collaborative efforts to assess AI systems' biological misuse-relevant capabilities -Experience delivering analytic products and briefings to agency leadership and interagency partners -Experience engaging with industry, academic partners, and research institutions Selective Placement Factor: Position duties require immediate access to classified intelligence; therefore, applicants must possess a current TS/SCI clearance. 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. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
Required Documents
The documents required may vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. A complete application includes: 1) A resume (not to exceed two pages), 2) vacancy question responses regarding technical qualifications, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing. The resume MUST NOT exceed two pages on standard-size paper. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed for qualifications or assessment determinations. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you review the qualification requirements for this position as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports the position qualifications. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
Department Information
Agency
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Department
Department of Commerce
Location
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, United States