Agriculturist (Foreign Service Officer Career Candidate)

• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Analysis of plant, insect, and/or animal health conditions, government policies, and regulatory processes affecting the agricultural market and import/export interests of U.S. stakeholders.
• Compilation, review, and analysis of technical reports on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, pests, and diseases and their effects.
• Compilation, review and analysis of economic, market, technical and data relating to production, trade, consumption, prices and other factors affecting the safeguarding of U.S. agriculture.
• Addresses specific phytosanitary concerns with host countries. When trade issues focus on animal or plant health and quarantine matters, the incumbent's role may include negotiations in conjunction with the APHIS programs.
• Manages international phytosanitary trade issues with APHIS programs. Plans, coordinates, or conducts analyses relevant to trade issues and designs and participates in the development of recommendations for courses of action.
• Participates in identifying disciplines and multi-disciplinary mixes for risk assessment/hazard evaluation of plant or animal health issues in order to instill a proactive approach to U.S. goals in international trade.
• Prepares briefing memoranda, correspondence, briefing books, market profiles and other background information for APHIS, USDA, and other entities on a variety of subjects.
• Prepares oral/written briefings as required, with thorough analysis of political, policy options and strategies.
• Provides analytical information/advise on plant health issues in conjunction with APHIS goals and strategies.
• Participates in the identification, monitoring and removal of technical, sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to agricultural trade.
• Assists in coordinating Departmental objectives in the World Trade Organization (WTO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), U.S. CODEX, and other international organizations.
• Investigates, researches, prepares, and gives advisories identifying pest alerts, new regulations and other updates affecting all entities of export/import trade.
• Develops effective working relationships with international and domestic agricultural industry representatives, trade associations, cooperators, and other APHIS stakeholders.
• Coordinates/facilitates duties related to the import/export of animals and/or plants and their byproducts. Works with APHIS programs to determine the absence of infectious, contagious or communicable disease or parasitism.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a medical clearance issued by the U.S. Department of State as a condition of employment.
• The Assessment Center will be virtual. You must be able to attend via Zoom and/or Microsoft Teams using your own computer equipment and software. Positions will not be offered to those that are unable to attend the Assessment Center.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Foreign Service Officers (FSO) must retire at the age of 65, with at least 5 years of service in the Foreign Service. The training program is 6 - 18 months in length. Overseas tours of duty for FSOs are generally 3 years.
• Foreign Service Officers are obligated and expected to serve abroad for substantial portions of their careers. A member of the Foreign Service may not be assigned to duty within the U.S. continuously exceeding eight years.
• Members of the Foreign Service are expected to serve world-wide based on the needs of the Agency, including situations when family members may not be able to accompany the employee. Selectees are required to sign a world-wide availability agreement.
• Non-Federal or Non-APHIS employees: If the Foreign Service Officer training program is not successfully completed there will be NO placement rights within APHIS.
• Current Gov employees should work with losing agency supervisor, prior to starting this Foreign Service Training Program, to see if reinstatement rights to their current unit are available if they are unsuccessful at achieving commissioning.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance as a condition of employment.
• The ability to speak, read, and write a foreign language is preferred, but not required at time of application. There is a foreign language requirement prior to commissioning within 5 years of start date.

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.

In addition to meeting the Basic Education requirements for the job series for which you are applying, as described in the Education section of this vacancy announcement, you must also meet the Minimum Qualification requirements for the grade level(s) for which you are applying:

For the Veterinary Medical Officer, FP-0701-05 (GS-11 equivalent) level: Applicants that possess the Basic Education Requirements for the 0701 series, as described in the Education section below, qualify for the 0701 position at the FP-05 level.

For the Veterinary Medical Officer, FP-0701-04 (GS-12 equivalent) level you must possess one of the following: 6 years of specialized experience, one year that was equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service (FP-05/GS-11) that provided you with the ability to perform the duties of the position at this level. This experience must be documented in your resume/application for this position. Examples of qualifying specialize experience include:

• Participating in analyzing plant, insect, and/or animal health conditions, along with related government policies and regulatory processes, and determining the effect of such conditions.
• Participating in compiling, reviewing, and analyzing technical reports on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, pests, diseases and the economic, market, and technical data relating to production, trade, consumption, prices and other factors affecting the safeguarding of U.S. agriculture.
• Assisting with planning, coordinating, or conducting analyses relevant to trade issues and with designing and developing solutions for the successful management of these issues.
• Participating in the identification, monitoring, and removal of technical, sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to agricultural trade.
• Participating in investigating, researching, preparing, and providing advisories identifying agricultural health alerts, new regulations and other updates affecting all entities of export/import trade.
• Participating in determining and implementing agricultural capacity building and development activities to enhance trade and food security objectives.

OR - A Master's degree in a Veterinary program that followed your DVM from an accredited college or school in an area of specialization including, but not limited to: animal science; avian medicine; food safety; Infectious diseases; veterinary clinical sciences; pathology; biomedical sciences; veterinary anatomy; veterinary preventative medicine; comparative biological sciences; epidemiology; veterinary parasitology; molecular veterinary biosciences; public health; microbiology; immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology; wildlife; zoological animal medicine; or sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer. Applicants must submit copies of college transcripts to document this degree.

For the Entomologist, FP-0414-05 / Plant Pathologist, FO-0434-05 (GS-11 equivalent) level you must possess one of the following: 6 or more years of specialized experience, at least one year of which was equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service, FP-06 (GS-09 equivalent), that provided you with the ability to perform the duties of this position at the FP-05 (GS-11 equivalent) level. This specialized experience must be documented in your resume/application for this position. Examples of qualifying specialize experience include:

• Participating in determining plant, insect, and/or animal health conditions;
• Participating in identifying disciplines and multi-disciplinary mixes for risk assessment/hazard evaluation of plant or animal health issues related to international trade;
• Participating in identifying phytosanitary trade issues and providing input as needed;
• Preparing and providing advisories identifying pest alerts, new regulations and other updates affecting export/import trade;
• Participating in agricultural capacity building and development activities to enhance trade and food security objectives.

OR - A Master's degree in plant pathology/entomology; or a related scientific discipline.
OR- Equivalent combinations of education and experience as described above are qualifying for this job series at this grade level.

For the Entomologist and Plant Pathologist, FP-0414/0434-04 (GS-12 equivalent) level you must possess: 12 or more years of specialized experience, at least one year of which was equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service, FP-05 (GS-11 equivalent), that provided you with the ability to perform the duties of this position at this level. This specialized experience must be documented in your resume/application for this position. Examples of qualifying specialize experience include:

• Participating in analyzing plant, insect, and/or animal health conditions, along with related government policies and regulatory processes, and determining the effect of such conditions.
• Participating in compiling, reviewing, and analyzing technical reports on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, pests, and diseases and the economic, market, and technical data relating to production, trade, consumption, prices and other factors affecting the safeguarding of U.S. agriculture.
• Assisting with planning, coordinating, or conducting analyses relevant to trade issues and with designing and developing solutions for the successful management of these issues.
• Participating in the identification, monitoring, and removal of technical, sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to agricultural trade.
• Participating in investigating, researching, preparing, and providing advisories identifying agricultural health alerts, new regulations and other updates affecting all entities of export/import trade.
• Participating in determining and implementing agricultural capacity building and development activities to enhance trade and food security objectives.

OR - A related Master's Degree and 6 or more years of specialized experience, at least one of which was at the GS-11(FP-05) level.
OR - A PhD degree in a discipline related to entomology or plant pathology.

TRANSCRIPTS are required. 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

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.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a highly competitive vacancy with a limited number of openings available. Applications will be rated based on the information provided in the resume and responses to the occupational questions to determine the level of knowledge, skill and ability related to the job requirements.

ASSESSMENT CENTER (AC) PROCESS: This is a multi-phase assessment process. The top scoring applicants from this initial USAJOBS assessment will be invited to participate in a one day long, mandatory AC for further evaluation. There are a finite number of seats available for the AC. In the event top scoring candidates decline invitations, the candidate with the next highest score will be invited until all available seats are filled.

The Assessment Center will include tests of the candidates' skills in a series of written, group, and oral exams. Successful candidates will demonstrate the skills, abilities, and qualities deemed essential to the work of the Foreign Service as per the following Foreign Service Job Competencies:

• Management & Supervision
• Critical Thinking & Analysis
• Organizing & Executing Tasks
• Technical Expertise
• Communication & collaboration
• Intra/Interpersonal Savvy

Assessment Center Scores will include a cut-off score. Applicants that meet that cut-off will be placed on an inventory of eligible candidates, which will be retained for 2 years and used to fill current and future vacant FSO positions. Notification of being placed on the inventory, or of not meeting the cut-off will be issued as quickly as possible once the assessment center concludes. Selections and appointments traditionally happen in score order, but the agency will also consider how applicant experience and expertise meet the needs of the agency for each vacancy.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, 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/12949295

For more information regarding APHIS' Foreign Service, please see the link below: APHIS Foreign Service | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (usda.gov)

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications; and 5) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not they may be contacted for reference checks. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
• Education is required so you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, visit the following: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Proof of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Degree or Equivalent:
  • A legible copy of college transcripts showing a conferred DVM degree from a veterinary medical school or college accredited by the AVMA Council on Education. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application. As an alternative, proof of possession of a current permanent unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States can be submitted as provisional proof of eligibility. If selected, an official college transcript showing a conferred DVM degree from a veterinary medical school or college accredited by the AVMA Council on Education will be required prior to entering on duty.
  • Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education must submit a copy of their DVM transcripts and required documents (i.e., proof of ECFVG certification; or copy of Veterinary license; letter documenting acceptance into an advanced degree, post graduate, residency or graduate program at an AVMA accredited veterinary medical school; AND an English proficiency score report documenting required acceptable minimum scores, from TOEFL, IELTS or CAEL) that prove basic qualification for this position as stated in OPM's qualification standards.
  • Applicants who are substituting education or advanced training for specialized experience must submit: 1) an unofficial transcript showing a conferred master's degree in a qualifying specialty or 2) a letter or certificate documenting the completion of at least two years of an internship, residency or fellowship in a specific discipline or specialty. All education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.
  • All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
  • Official transcripts will be required if selected for the position.
• Although veterans' preference doesn't apply, applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of their eligibility. You must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. Proof of entitlement for preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference is also welcome. FEDSHIREVETS

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