Senior Scientist (Biological Threat Emergency Response) - CR559

**Ready to make a real impact? Protect the Commonwealth and advance your career as a Senior Scientist on Virginia’s frontline, where science drives mission‑critical emergency response. In this role, you’ll analyze unknown substances to identify biological threats that directly influence public health and safety. Your expertise will strengthen statewide preparedness and support coordinated emergency response efforts.** **Title:** **Senior Scientist** (Biological Threat Emergency Response) - CR559 **State Role Title:** Scientist II **Hiring Range:** $71,000 - $86,000 **Pay Band:** 5 **Agency:** Department of General Services **Location:** DCLS **Agency Website:** www.dgs.virginia.gov **Recruitment Type:** General Public - G **Job Duties** The [Virginia Department of General Services (DGS)](https://dgs.virginia.gov/) is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as **Senior Scientist** in the - **Biological Threat Emergency Response Group (BTER)** for the Commonwealth's [Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS](https://dgs.virginia.gov/division-of-consolidated-laboratory-services)), which is one of the largest and most diverse consolidated state laboratories in the nation. With an annual budget of over 30 million dollars and over 250 state employees, DCLS performs approximately 9 million tests annually. Results from these tests are used confidently by local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, food regulatory, environmental protection, and law enforcement officials serving to protect our citizens, food supply, environment, and commerce. DCLS is a member of several public health networks and emergency response groups.**About the Biological Threat Emergency Response Group**The Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services’ (DCLS) Biological Threat Emergency Response Group (BTER) is a premier all‑hazards emergency response laboratory serving the Commonwealth and the nation. BTER provides rapid, high‑quality laboratory testing and analytical support to hundreds of local, state, and federal partners. Our collaborators include the Virginia Department of Health, Department of Environmental Quality, and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). BTER scientists investigate unknown or suspicious substances potentially associated with acts of terrorism using a multidisciplinary approach that enables the detection, identification, and confirmation of biological threat agents. Our team works with a diverse range of sample types including clinical, environmental, and food samples to support public health, environmental protection, and emergency response efforts across Virginia and beyond. As a **Senior Scientist** in the **Biological Threat Emergency Response Group (BTER),** job duties include, but are not limited to: - Performs routine and emergency moderate to high-complexity laboratory testing with accuracy and efficiency. - Documents work processes, organizes, schedules and prioritizes daily workflow for work area, ensuring testing turnaround times are met. - Serves in a team lead capacity by training others to perform testing, demonstrating a high degree of independence and technical expertise. - Reviews, verifies, and approves the work of team members, ensuring timely and accurate documentation of data and results within LIMS. - Troubleshoots microbiological, molecular, and immunological test methods and instrumentation - Assists with validation and verification of new instrumentation and methodologies - Reviews and revises Standard Operating Procedures - Supports quality assurance efforts by upholding testing standards and ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of labora…