Duties

Summary

This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Research Animal Services with one vacancy in Beltsville, Maryland.

The incumbent is responsible for the care and feeding of growing and lactating dairy animals assigned to research projects, designed to study dietary effects on growth, weight change, milk production, and feed efficiency.
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Responsibilities

• Collects milk samples as requested by protocols and herd supervisor. Insures that appropriate milk production is accurately recorded.
• Observes and reports all animals showing signs of digestive disturbances (off feed, scours, foundering, etc.) to the appropriate personnel and makes the appropriate decision as to the course of action to be taken.
• Observes and identifies all cows for estrous, lameness, etc. and records the information on the appropriate record form for the supervisors use.
• Checks, maintains, and makes the necessary adjustments and minor repairs on all weighing devices to assure accuracy.
• Mixes complete feed rations based on experimental instructions into a homogeneous blend to prevent pre-selection of feed types and to insure a uniform intake of nutrients.
• Cleans barns, pens, and stalls, specific to the assigned area of study.
• Directs the movement of animals to and from various locations, ensuring animals remain calm.
• Milks dairy cows following milking procedures that ensure maximum milk production per cow.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
6

Requirements

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
• Successful completion of 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/
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid State issued motor vehicle operator?s permit.
• Exigency employee must report to or remain on work site regardless of extreme weather or other emergency conditions.
• Exigency employee must report to or remain on work site for budget shutdowns.
• American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) training is required.
• This position also requires a pre-employment physical.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position you must meet the following by the closing date of the vacancy announcement:
11/15/2019

Qualifications will be determined under the Job Element Rating System X-118C, Qualifications Standard Handbook. While a specific length of time and experience is not required for most Wage Grade positions, you must show through experience and training that you possess the best qualified level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of this position. Qualification requirements emphasize the quality of experience, not necessarily the length. The responses to the questionnaire and your resume should be in significant detail to provide the person rating your application with a good understanding of your ability to do the job, technical knowledge, work, and training experience, etc. (For example You must have the ability to perform the duties of a, Animal Caretaker without more than normal supervision (Screen Out)). Applicants who do not meet the SCREEN OUT ELEMENT will not be given further consideration.

Physical Effort:

• The incumbent is often required to lift and carry feed and other materials weighing 50-100 pounds. Frequently light to heavy physical effort is required in the handling and restraint of animals.

Working Conditions:

• Incumbent works in dairy barns designed to house both growing and lactating cows in groups and individual tie and box stalls. Works under all weather conditions or in situations where temperature variance is extreme as in passing from heated barns to outside areas. Subject to manure, urine, dust odors, chemicals, etc. Must exercise caution and good judgment when working around animals in confined areas, so as to avoid injury or fright to animals. There is exposure to personal injury resulting from kicks, butts, trampling, etc., from spirited or unruly animals, and from the operation of machinery, trucks, and tractors.

Education

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.

This is a bargaining unit position.

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:

• Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision
• Ability to Interpret Instructions, specifications; other than blueprints
• Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Dexterity And Safety
• Knowledge of Materials
• Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
• Use of Measuring Instruments

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.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10644279

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

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, 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.
• If claiming veteran's 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 not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.Veteran's 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 veteran's 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), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.