Agronomist (Farm Manager)

• Manages a wide range of crop and forage production and supports the forage and feed requirements of a large-scale research dairy operation.
• Participates in the development of a holistic, integrated farm management plan in cooperation with an internal advisory team coordinated by the Center Director.
• Performs timely and accurate financial planning, budgeting and accounting for the farm in cooperation with the Center Director and the USDA-ARS Accounting Officer and team.
• Adapts and applies the best technologies available for agronomic operations including GPS systems, remote sensing technologies, and others as relevant.
• Coordinates all maintenance activities at the USDFRC farm.
• Provides information to visitors to the USDFRC farm, which includes leading pre-approved tours of the facility, answering inquiries and providing leadership for public events hosted by the farm.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• 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/.
• Successful completion of a one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Valid Motor Vehicle Driver's License is required.
• Pesticide Applicators License is required.

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 Requirements for Agronomy Series, 0471
1.Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy.

Evaluation of Education: Course work in such subjects as botany, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant breeding or genetics, plant ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, agronomy, or those dealing with basic soil-water-plant relationships of an agronomic or ecologic nature may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic plant sciences. Agronomy courses include agronomy, field crops, field crop production or management, soil and crop management, plant breeding and development, weed control, and similar courses, including those in soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, etc., provided they dealt with principles, methods, or procedures that are applied directly in agronomic work and in the solving of agronomic problems.

Additional Requirements
In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below.

GS-11: Applicants must meet one of the following to be qualified at the GS-11 grade level:

Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

The specialized experience requirements for this position at the GS-11 level are:

• Assisting in coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, wheat or other row crops or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; AND
• Assisting in coordinating or executing crop or dairy farm management tasks; AND
• Keeping farm records, including field crop production and input records; AND
• Assisting in managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility.

OR

Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the duties of the position. Related education may include agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a significant amount of emphasis on agronomy.

OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above.

GS-12: Applicants must meet the following to be qualified at the GS-12 grade level:

Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

The specialized experience requirements for this position at the GS-12 level are:

• Coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, and wheat or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; AND
• Maintaining crop field production and input records; AND
• Managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility; AND
• Performing crop consulting.

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. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12983946

When we complete our selections, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional Federal agencies. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application materials, and assessment results shared with additional Federal agencies to be considered for employment. There is no guarantee of further consideration.

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

• Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; 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); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.
• If education is required or you are using education to qualify, 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 any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• If claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
• If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FedsHireVets.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

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