Agriculturist - Plant Pathologist (Program Coordinator)
What you'd do
You will serve as a National Policy Manager coordinating national plant health and plant pest programs, plant health emergencies, pest surveys and detections, and/or developing regulatory strategies for pest incursions. Or as a Program Coordinator coordinating with other Core Functional Areas (CFA) to ensure alignment of S&T activities with mission needs, develops S&T-level activity reports, and provides input to S&T and PPQ strategic and operational planning.
Major duties
The duties may include, but are not limited to: Leads a cross-cutting PPQ team to develop policies and supporting guidance for use by PPQ’s Field Operations and state and other officials to detect, control, and eradicate plant pests. Serves on teams of plant health and quarantine experts to study, evaluate, assess, and/or respond to new, emerging, and established plant health risks. Analyzes data, evaluates trends, and makes recommendations to inform policies and procedures. Coordinates the development and execution of technical and scientific projects within the assigned program area through direct and effective interaction with the appropriate individuals. Prepares reports primarily for developing, implementing and maintaining effective scientifically informed APHIS programs and in accordance with agency, PPQ, and other relevant policies. Provides input and recommendations to the S/T Management Team for program-related budget development, annual work plans, and operational plans.
What you need to qualify
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: post high school education with courses equivalent to a major, which is defined as 24 semester/36 quarter hours, in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience or additional course work. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate the below: FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Experience with and subject matter expertise in plant pests, detection/eradication, regulatory or technical decision making and science-based justification Evaluating programs, interpreting technical data, identifying trends, and recommending improvements. Effectively communicating orally and in writing to a diverse audience Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-14 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.
Before you apply
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