Clarification from the agency

Open to the Public and Career Transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

As a Consumer Safety Officer, you will perform the following duties:

• Conduct audits of seafood processing facilities and vessels to evaluate conformity with regulations, program policy, and industry standards for ensuring safe, healthy and quality seafood products in manufacturing processes.
• Perform inspections of raw and processed seafood products to evaluate the safety, quality, and health of the products in accordance with regulations, grade standards, program policy, and item descriptions or specifications.
• Support the implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process in facility audits and inspections to identify violations, recommend corrective actions, and develop HACCP and quality management programs in processing plants and vessels in compliance with regulations and program policy.

Note: The duties described above are at the ZP-2 level and the ZP-1 is the developmental grade level leading to such performance. The full performance level for this position is a ZP-3.

The ZP-1 is equivalent to the GS-05. The ZP-2 is equivalent the the GS-07/09. The full performance level for this position is a ZP-3. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Incumbent must possess a valid driver's license to travel to seafood processing locations, and/or transport samples for inspection, on a regular and recurring basis.
• This position has physical requirements. Must be able to lift 50 pounds or more.
• Must possess sensory abilities (sight, smell, taste) which are capable of detecting and identifying abnormalities (defects) in product characteristics.

Conditions of employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.
3. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
4. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
5. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information.
6. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
7. Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

• One year probationary period may be required.*
• Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
• Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• Your performance and conduct;
• Needs and interests of the agency;
• Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. The education must have been obtained at a college, university, or an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. You MUST meet the following requirements: You MUST meet the following requirements:

EDUCATION:
A. Degree: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provided knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work.

The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that included the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Combination of education and experience--courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To qualify at the ZP-1 or GS-05 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants that meet Basic Education Requirements for the series are considered qualified at the ZP-1 or GS-05.

To qualify at the ZP-2 or GS-07 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-01 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Participating in performing food inspections; and
• Assisting in the review of records of food processing facilities inspections.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education.

OR

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: As demonstrated by a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one of the following. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet the provision below:

• A grade point average (GPA) of 2.9 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study;
• A GPA of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study;
• Class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college;
• Membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents).

Additionally, a Job Knowledge Test will be used in order to assess technical and professional expertise directly relevant to the requirements of this announcement. This assessment measures the specialized knowledge and skills accumulated over time, which are critical for successful performance in this position.

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored Job Knowledge Test and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are "gold", "silver" and "bronze". However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored Job Knowledge Test, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. The scored Job Knowledge Test will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Compliance Inspection
• Manages and Organizes Information
• Problem Solving

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

--Basis of Rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze. You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you are eligible, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

If referred, all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review. To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12869775

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments):

1. Resume:

• Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Reference the USAJobs Help Center for addition recommendations and instructions.
• You are encouraged to make your resume and profile searchable https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/profile/searchable.
• You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
• If you use your own resume or curriculum vitae, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume should include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if Federal); description of duties or work performed; starting and ending dates (month and year).
• Part-Time work must be clearly identified and include the number of hours per week; if not identified, then work will be assumed to be Full-Time. (NOTE: A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, typically 16-32 hours per week.)

2. Veterans' Preference Eligibles: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.

Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the Vet Guide.

3. Unofficial Transcripts: This position has a positive education requirement and therefore, requires proof of higher education. ***OR*** If you are using the substitution of education to meet qualifications, you must submit an unofficial transcript. The unofficial transcript must include the following information: name of accredited institution; courses by title; number and department (BIO 101 Intro to Bio, MATH 210 Calculus I, etc.); grades earned; completion dates; quarter or semester hours earned; and degree award date (if applicable).

• Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration.

4. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see "Additional Information" section).

Next steps