Campus Pride Jobs

Summary This position is with the Agricultural Research Service, Northeast Area, Food Systems Research Unit in Burlington, VT. In this position, you will participate in almost all phases of the research process by performing and organizing a variety of complex technical duties in a laboratory, field, or greenhouse environment. You will contribute to the planning, sequencing, and implementation of the technical aspects of the research. You will provide leadership in safety and resource management. Responsibilities Engages with all aspects of an agronomic research program, including planning, sequencing, and executing a variety of complex technical duties in laboratory and field environments. Keeps detailed records of experimental data and supporting activities and assists in interpreting such data through tabulation, statistical analysis, and summarization with personal computers. Adapts, modifies, or develops new techniques to satisfy project needs, including through searching and summarizing scientific literature. Provides leadership in the maintenance of safe, clean and organized work environments, including through identifying and mitigating hazards, maintaining chemical inventories, and properly disposing of waste material. Maintains, calibrates, modifies, and uses specialized e3quipment and automated systems for data collection and evaluation procedures, and independently identifies and resolves difficulties encountered. Safely conducts physically strenuous tasks outdoors in inclement weather and lifts items weighing at least 50 pounds. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade. GS-7 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience participating in a research project related to agronomy, plant ecology, or soil ecology; statistically analyzing or summarizing data; and maintaining equipment and automated systems used for test and evaluation procedures. OR Education: Successful completion of one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Plant Ecology, Soil Science, or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. GS-8 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-08 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience participating in one or more phases of an agronomic research process; collecting and analyzing plant or soil samples; and operating, maintaining, calibrating, or modifying specialized equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Plant Ecology, Soil Science, or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. GS-9 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-08 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience setting up and conducting an experiment or research project related to agronomy; collecting, preparing, and evaluating plant or soil samples for sequencing and supporting records; identifying plant samples; and summarizing research results for preparation in scientific reports or manuscripts. OR Education: Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Plant Ecology, Soil Science, or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. 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 Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of Agriculture. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.