Clarification from the agency

This position is open to Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployed Priority List (RPL), and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) eligible candidates who meet the eligibility requirements for priority consideration.

• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Leads VS’ NWS strategy and coordination efforts to ensure that the NWS sterile-insect technology (SIT) program and related operational activities align with animal health and trade policy.
• Develops NWS policy and makes policy recommendations to the VS Deputy Administrator and Office of the Administrator in order to advance NWS eradication objectives.
• Partners with APHIS senior leaders to achieve buy in and address potential challenges that could affect the success of the NWS program.
• Performs in-depth analysis of NWS operational activities to support policy development and implements approved policies and strategies to advance the NWS program.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and maintenance of budgets, operational plans, strategic plans, action plans, regulations, and guidelines for the NWS program.
• Develops and maintains relationships with international counterparts in Mexico and Central America to advance NWS eradication and maximize the availability of limited resources.
• Ensures effective coordination with the Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG) to manage and distribute sterile flies at the edge of the outbreak.
• Provides leadership in developing and monitoring Mexican and Central American screwworm surveillance and livestock movement controls.

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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
• In accordance with Office of Government Ethics regulations concerning conflict of interest, the incumbent will be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of their effective date of appointment and annually thereafter.
• 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.
• May be required to obtain an Official Government Passport in order to perform work.

Qualifications

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: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major (which is defined as 24 semester/36 quarter hours) as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-15 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-14 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Influencing/negotiating the coordination of animal health goals, objectives, and resource allocations with foreign counterparts including Mexico or Central America.
• Providing expertise in strategic planning and executing long-range national and international pest management programs, specifically New World Screwworm (NWS).
• Convincingly and professionally presenting NWS results, long- and short-range plans, and solutions to problems of a unique or novel nature in the form of written reports and oral presentations.

Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

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.

For CTAP & ICTAP, well-qualified means that the applicant meets the qualification standard and eligibility requirements for the position, meets basic qualification requirements, meets all selective factors where applicable is able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry, and is rated at 85 or above on an applicant assessment. Applications and required documentation (see below) will be reviewed to determine if applicants meet eligibility and job requirements. CTAP/ICTAP applicants may be required to take a manual assessment and must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority.

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. 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/12911182

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) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
• If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution. Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, see: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

• CTAP/ICTAP:
  • Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; AND most recent performance evaluation; AND SF-50 documenting separation or the position from which separating; OR
  • Workers Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50; OR
  • Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50; OR Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from the military or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50.
• If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification (see above) plus the documentation listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. Failure to submit these documents could result in a finding that 10-point preference cannot be awarded.

Next steps