Lab Accreditation Program Specialist

Join the team! This position is located in the Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction (EXHR), Directorate for Laboratory Sciences (LS). LS conducts product testing, maintains lab wide safety systems, and critical equipment related to safe lab operations, and property management activities. 

Duties

The Lab Accreditation Program Specialist serves as the Senior Agency Official covering the full range of CPSC third party lab accreditation activities as established by 16CFR1112 and related regulations, directives and procedures. He/she is required to use broad based knowledge and expertise in third party laboratory conformity assessment programs, including the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperative (ILAC), the capabilities of Accrediting Bodies throughout the world, and the development and use of related accreditation program standards such as ISO-17025-2017. The incumbent is knowledgeable in the development and changes to such standards and how they apply towards recognizing applicant laboratories for approval as CPSC third party laboratories that can issue conformance reports for products that meet children’s products safety standards. The Lab Accreditation Program Specialist is required to use persuasive abilities to motivate the appropriate internal and external organizations to initiate and support the development, maintenance and updating of the CPSC Lab Accreditation IT Systems. The cooperation and respect of the officials in these organizations for the incumbent is a key factor in the Commission's operating and maintaining a high quality, accurate lab accreditation system to ensure manufacturers and others have access to identifying and using qualified labs to certify Childrens Products to ensure CPSC standards are met.

Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for:

• Communicating with persons and organizations in the U.S. and globally that have professional expertise related to laboratory accreditation. This includes accreditation bodies, testing laboratories, the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), and experts at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and other federal agencies. Communications are frequent and varied in scope including discussions with applicant laboratories on their third party certification application status, accrediting bodies in various countries to verify scope and status of specific laboratories, and with Governmental personnel on the development of the related international standards and progress on trade or mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) between countries regarding acceptance of third party lab results between that country’s laboratories and the United States.
• Identifying the need for new or revised policies, procedures, directives and/or control systems required by new or ongoing children’s product standards and programs. Reviews, monitors and evaluates developments in CPSC, and national and international standards as they may affect the CPSC Lab Accreditation programs policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with the Associate Executive Director (AED) for Laboratory Sciences, the AED-EXHR and other management officials on controversial program issues, considers alternative courses of action, and recommends proper course to be taken. Counseling respective management members including Commissioners and Commissioner Staff of the impact on operations of various options.
• Reviewing and evaluating short- and long-range management plans and programming documents related to program goals. Develops proposals and plans to allocate resources to provide for optimum program effectiveness in order to meet established goals.
• Directing and monitoring the development and implementation of new or revised management policies, procedures, and systems needed to cope with new program requirements and functional changes resulting from new legislation, congressional and/or consumer interests, and new technological developments.
• Reporting to Associate Executive Director - Laboratory Science on all related activities and their progress as well as assesses results against performance goals and other matters related to processing laboratory applications for the CPSC program including preparing quarterly and annual reports on timeliness measures for processing independent third-party lab applications and audit submittals.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required.
• Background Investigation Required.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.

This is a Public Trust Position. Employment in this position requires a background investigation. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the tentative employment offer may be withdrawn.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to appointment and the appropriate background investigation forms to determine suitability for Federal employment.  False statements or responses on these forms can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

The selectee will be required to complete a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the I-9 Form. We will compare information provided to confirm employee’s identity and eligibility to work. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Upon appointment, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450. You will need to provide the information annually.
  
You are applying under Delegated Examining and if selected under this authority, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period, even if you are a transfer from another federal agency.

Qualifications

All applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:  

1) Demonstrated experience in managing, monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of an extensive testing laboratory accreditation program; 2) knowledge and understanding of International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperative (ILAC), mutual recognition agreements (MRAs), ISO 17025, ISO 17065, ISO 17011; 3) knowledge of testing laboratories and accrediting accreditation bodies and their roles in the accreditation process; and 4) knowledge of laboratory accreditation assessments.

A bachelor’s degree in engineering or a physical science (such as chemistry, biology, etc....) is highly desirable. Completion of formal training courses in ISO-17025 and/or ISO-17011 is highly desirable.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held.  Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone.  If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This position does not have a mandatory education requirement.

There is no substitution for specialized experience at this grade level.

Additional information

CPSC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.

Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.

All the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application, by checking reference and through other means, such as the interview process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.

Additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

As a condition of employment, the selectee must reside in the local commuting area of the duty station listed in this announcement.  Telework schedules (within the local commuting area) are approved on a case-by-case basis.  Employees will have an onsite requirement each week.  Proof of residence may be required. 

This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.