Duties

• Participate in on-site/off-site assessments of food protection programs for an organization.
• Participate in food protections audits.
• Utilize Food Protection principles/education to support scientific based plans, processes and procedures.
• Review completed commercial food protection audits from the field for administrative and technical accuracy.
• Manage initial food protection audit requests from procurement agencies to include pre-audit documentation.
• Assess Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs),and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
• Provide recommendations for food protection improvements based on reported data analysis.
• Monitor phone and email inquiries from internal/external customers and provide food technical guidance.
• Participate in various food protection working groups.
• Validate food inspection procedures for compliance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain Secret Security Clearance.
• May be subject to a two-year probationary period.
• This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 20% of the time.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document .

Basic Education Requirement for Food Technologist:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in food technology, or dairy technology, microbiology, biology, chemistry, physics, or a related discipline or field of biological or physical science. The course work must have been comprised of at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and physical sciences, and included at least 20 semester hours in food technology and closely related subjects, or 20 semester hours in subjects that can be applied directly to food technology.

OR

B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to one of the majors, as shown in A above, that included at least 24 semester hours in field of biological or physical science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting ONE of the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Section, to qualify for this position you must ALSO meet one of the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) Participating in food protection processes like assessments, audits and/or inspections; (2) Providing technical/educational knowledge on food processes such as production methods, processing, packaging, and/or special programs related to food manufacturing, and food technology; and
(3) Participating in planning and/or managing food programs/projects that follow Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: food technology, or dairy technology, microbiology, biology, chemistry, physics, or a related discipline or field of biological or physical science. The course work must have been comprised of at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and physical sciences, and included at least 20 semester hours in food technology and closely related subjects, or 20 semester hours in subjects that can be applied directly to food technology.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

• Communications
• Planning and Evaluating
• Technical Competence

Education

***YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR OFFICIAL EDUCATIONAL TRANSCRIPTS EVEN IF YOU ARE A CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEE***

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• Two year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a Career Program (CP) 16 - Engineers and Scientists position.
• You may claim military spouse preference.
• If a MSP applicant is determined best qualified and selected, placement must be at the full performance level for priority consideration.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
• If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
• Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within a designated time frame identified by the organization. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency's telework policy.
• Information may be requested regarding the vaccination status of selectees for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols. For more information, visit https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/vaccinations/ .