Agricultural Commodity Grader (Meat) (Assistant to the Supervisor)
What you'd do
This position is located with the Livestock and Poultry Program, Quality Assessment Division, Grading Services Branch, which is responsible for developing, implementing, and administering programs for the grading, certification, and inspection of QAD commodities. You will serve as the sole grader for a shift or assignment; and is responsible for all phases of grading, inspection, and certification activities, including those involving complex or borderline determinations.
Major duties
The duties may include, but are not limited to: Prepares and maintains a variety of reports and records related to work such as plant production data, grading results, certificates, grading dashboards, etc. Assists the regional director, supervisor, or designee in conducting interviews for hiring new employees within their area of responsibility. Examines meat to evaluate the sex, texture, marbling, maturity, color, and other factors relating to product quality grade. Makes determinations for all situations including those involving borderline characteristics; prepares and issues certificates. Maintains hands-on understanding of emerging technology and explains to graders how the technology works in relation to grading services. Provides technical guidance to others in the performance of difficult inspections and grade determinations.
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. FOR THE GS-10 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience of hands-on grading experience in the commodity of Meat equivalent to the GS-9 level that demonstrates: Independently grades and/or inspects primary products in the commodity group and performs difficult assignments such as: regularly making borderline grading decisions on a variety of products; or applying the full range of grading skills at an extremely fast pace requiring instant determinations. Performs the full range of grading and/or inspection tasks involved in supplying grading services to producers or members of the trade in the commodity specialization. Inspect or evaluate more complicated processing equipment and procedures, and conditions of storage or transportation and advising industry employees on product quality control methods. OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in Mathematics, Economics, Science, Engineering, Agriculture or Business; OR LL.M., if related. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: 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-10 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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