Staff Scientist (Interdisciplinary)

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent USDA employees with competitive status; and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates and permanent Farm Service County Office employees, Foreign Service Employee, 30 percent or More Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas, Foreign Service Employees, Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities, People with Disabilities, Peace Corps and VISTA, and Reinstatement eligible candidates.

• Plans, develops, and drafts Agency policy, directives, notices, and industry guidance.
• Identifies significant development related to the assigned program area, prepares analyses of the implications and recommends program modifications.
• Develops, publicizes, and garners support for the program agenda by meeting with other Agency program officials, key executives within the Department and USDA, as well as external agencies and parties.
• Serves as a scientist, as a lead of a project team, and as a technical professional with USDA.
• Initiates, plans, and conducts projects, and surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of both operational and public health performance related to food safety policy implementation and modernization to develop recommendations to modify programs.
• While developing policy documents and leading teams, identifies conflicts or problems, communicates them to leadership and resolves them, as needed.

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.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary or trial 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/.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the respective grade level in which you are applying. One year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-12) is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in, or related to, the work of the position to be filled.

A GS-13 Staff Scientist requires at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level. Your experience must include all of the following:

• Serve as a Staff Scientist, lead of a project team, and technical professional;
• Develop project plans, adjust resources to meet the needs of a project, and stay within timelines;
• Analyze projects related to public health, which include the study, design, analyses, and interpretation of results;
• Plan, develop, and draft policy, including directives, notices, or other correspondence designed to clarify and implement Agency policy with a focus on attention to detail and accuracy;
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of professionals to include scientists, attorneys, policy writers, public health specialists, veterinarians, food inspectors, or compliance specialists to coordinate the work of and provide technical leadership to other employees throughout the Agency.
• Apply independent judgment, sound reasoning, attention to detail, and subject matter expertise to analyze, develop, and implement complex regulatory policy.
• Serving as a spokesperson and source of information for technical and non-technical audiences in order to advise on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based food safety programs, as well as animal and food science principles to produce safe meat, poultry, and egg products from farm-to-table that are properly labeled and packaged.

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.

Since this is an interdisciplinary scientific role, you must also prove you meet the Basic Education Requirement for at least one of the parent occupational series that you are applying to. Transcripts required.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications and competencies listed in this vacancy announcement. Only those highly rated by the subject matter experts will be referred to the selecting official. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the preliminary resume and education reviewrequired for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Project Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Credibility
• Written Communication

In addition to the online questionnaire, applicants for this position will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts. If a panel is conducted, subject matter experts may review your resume and other application materials to determine your qualifications and assign a rating based on the required competencies. Please ensure that your resume does not simply list job duties, but also highlights accomplishments that demonstrate possession of the required competencies.

Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the pre-certificate evaluation. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Non-competitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need only meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and assessment questionnaire, this position requires a preliminary resume and education review to evaluate competencies and education required to perform the job.

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 view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13028514

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.

• Your application may be disqualified if you include any of the information listed here: What should I leave out of my resume?

If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of all relevant 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, official transcripts will be required 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.

Current and former Federal employees:

• Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND
• Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.

Veteran Hiring Authorities: VEOA, and 30% Disabled Veterans: DD-214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, that 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. Veterans' Preference must be verified prior to appointment.

If claiming 10-point Veterans' Preference you must provide the DD-214 or certification requirements (see above), 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.


Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment: Letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).

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.

If claiming eligibility under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement with another merit system not listed above, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation. Go to USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority for more information.

Next steps