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In this position you will provide expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers. You will also review, evaluate and suggest modifications of inspection or trapping methodologies and approaches as an enhancement to plant pest and plant disease surveillance systems.

Promotion potential: GS -12


The duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Identifies or verifies identification of plant pests such as insects, some arachnids, and mollusks to genera and species and the family level.
  • Refers some pests to National Identifiers, when virtually no pertinent reference material is available, or the interception is particularly unusual.
  • Monitors samples submitted for identification, pest interception, survey data, and pest detection techniques.
  • Maintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
  • Determines options for quarantine actions to be enforced by DHS and PPQ.
  • Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of and procedures for detecting plant pests.
  • Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology.

OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

  • Has performed specialized and difficult taxonomic work based on major subject matter expertise. Identifying or verifying identification of plant pests, such as insects, some arachnids (e.g. mites, ticks, spiders), and mollusks, in immature and adult stages; identifies specimens to genera and species and, where insufficient information is available, to the family level.
  • Maintained, developed, and supplemented information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution, and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
  • Developed and maintained specimen collections of plant pests pertinent to programs and consulting with and advising federal agencies, state departments of agriculture, and other cooperators on the identity and biology of and procedures for detecting plant pests (insects, some arachnids and mollusks).
  • Developed or aided in developing training modules and identification aids and assisted in delivering training to federal agencies, state departments of agriculture and other cooperators.

OR 2 years of graduate-level education leading to a master's degree in entomology or a related discipline.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

  • This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
  • You are qualifying for the position based on education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
  • This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

 

  • Compliance Inspection
  • Entomology
  • Research



Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12563597