Summary
The Fair Trade Practices Program (FTPP) Packers and Stockyards Division (PSD) administers the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended and supplemented. The Packers and Stockyards Act is a competition, trade practice and financial protection law. Its principal purpose is to maintain effective competition and fair trade practices in livestock, meat, and poultry marketing
Duties
- 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:
- Assisting in the coordination of the regional office’s investigative work and related work pertaining to Operations in the assigned national livestock, meat and poultry industry.
- Performs investigations in the assigned national livestock, meat and poultry industry and in the assigned geographic area that impacts local markets of the livestock, meat and poultry industries.
- Plans, designs, organizes and conducts investigations of anti-competitive, unfair, unjustly discriminatory or deceptive practices or devices in the livestock, meat and poultry industries and markets.
- Review relevant published articles that may enhance the surveillance and investigative activities of the agency.
- Responsible for conducting complex research, legal analysis, and technical and investigative assistance on issues related to enforcing competitive and trade practice provisions of the Act.
- Analyzes the factual and legal issues dealing with antitrust and other case law for guidance on statistical collection during investigations.
- Consults and advises on necessary investigations and research from individual firm records, legal periodicals, public information, and suggests methods for correcting problems.
- Makes judgments and offers opinions about the competitive effects of mergers and acquisitions in terms of the long-range impact upon the freedom of both buyers and sellers to maintain competition.
- Makes oral and written presentations describing investigation procedures, results, and relevant developments to other interested personnel.
Requirements
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 a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of the one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- 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/
- 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.
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.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR - Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The following special or additional competencies or special qualifications are needed for this position.:
- Legal training and experience necessary to serve as a legal subject matter advisor, conduct complex legal research and analysis, and provide technical assistance on complex legal issues and investigations
FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
- Conducting legal research and analysis, or participating in investigations of complaints related to unfair or deceptive business practices, antitrust or anticompetitive activities, commodities or financial market regulation, or similar areas of business law and regulation.
- Providing recommendations based on legal analysis, investigative results, rulemaking activities, legislative analysis, or document review to senior staff for further approval.
- Presenting technical and legal information in verbal or written format to meet the intended audience's needs.
OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.
Note: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.
FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
- Experience working on issues related to unfair or deceptive business practices, antitrust or anticompetitive activities, commodities or financial market or institution regulation, or the regulation of agricultural, livestock, or poultry markets.
- Participating in legal or regulatory enforcement investigations, rulemaking activities, or legislative or regulatory policy development or implementation.
- Experience reviewing documents, researching, and writing legal memoranda on novel issues, including discussing facts and legal authority, developing litigation documents, and providing legal recommendations regarding investigations and formal complaints.
- Independently prioritize one or more projects, cases, or investigations when assigned simultaneously.
- Developing legal, regulatory, or policy recommendations or proposals on matters involving complex applications of law to factual, market, or policy circumstances.
Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.
FOR THE GS-13 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
- Experience participating in legal or regulatory enforcement investigations, rulemaking activities, or legislative or regulatory policy development or implementation.
- Experience conducting complex legal research, legal analysis, and technical and investigative assistance on issues related to the enforcement of unfair or deceptive business practices, antitrust or anticompetitive activities, commodities or financial market or institution regulation, or the regulation of agricultural, livestock, or poultry markets.
- Experience with antitrust problems and knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Administrative Procedures Act; engaging in all aspects of discovery; deposition preparation; conducting or assisting senior attorneys in depositions; and assisting senior attorneys in preparation for and conducting trials in State and Federal Court.
- Experience in multiple aspects of the preparation of legal documentation, such as but not limited to, the preparation of legal memoranda, participating in deposition preparation, conducting, or assisting senior attorneys in depositions, assisting senior attorneys in preparation for and conducting trials, preparing proposed or final rules or administrative records, drafting or preparing legislation, drafting legal contracts or disclosure documents involving legal, due diligence, or drafting legal filings before a court or regulatory body.
- Experience preparing investigative or rulemaking work plans to ensure that every element necessary to establish a violation or rule is supported by adequate, competent, and sound evidence and participating as the lead investigator or rule writer.
Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.
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-11 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.
Education
This position does not have an education qualification requirement.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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 using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:
- Agricultural Regulatory Activities
- Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
- Oral Communication
- Regulatory Investigation
- Writing
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. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or 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/12444719
Required Documents
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.
- 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 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.
- If claiming veterans' 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 within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' 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 veterans' 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), last performance appraisal that is at least fully successful or its equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
- Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
- Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. 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 a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Next steps
If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, your will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to MRP.Fairchance@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.
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