Duties

Summary

This position is assigned to the Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD) in the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Risk Management and Innovations Staff (RMIS) ensures that OPPD policy development initiatives have a scientific basis by collaborating with the Office of Public Health Science and with FSIS's chemical and microbiological hazards workgroups.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• Conduct or direct a variety of complex projects and programs covering a variety of subjects centralized around food safety risk management, industry guidelines, food safety assessment methodology, and sampling program development.
• Leads or serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on studies, projects, and surveys which are broad in scope and significance to evaluate the effectiveness of both operational and public health performance related to food safety policy.
• Leads or consults junior personnel in maintaining surveillance of significant developments related to the assigned program area, preparing analyses of the implications of these developments, and recommending program modifications.
• Responsible for providing highly technical advice to the Director and Deputy Director that is critical to the development of regulatory performance policy and appropriate risk management strategies.
• Represents the FSIS in conferences, seminars, public meetings, and advisory committees.
• Provides guidance and training to others in the development of policy issuances, guidelines, executive correspondence, policy briefing papers, talking points, and option papers, including recommendations.
• Participates in the risk management decision process, develops risk management questions, and communicates effectively about food safety risk with peers, managers, and stakeholders.
• Develops regulatory policy regarding existing and new meat, poultry, and egg inspection regulations to ensure policy meets the food safety public health of the FSIS in a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) environment.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Satisfactory background investigation and/or fingerprint check required.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of one year probationary or trial period.
• 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.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Federal law requires the use of E-VERIFY to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
• Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Failure to successfully meet these requirements could lead to adverse action proceedings including possible termination.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• May be required to periodically report to Headquarters in Washington, DC.

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 meet one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-13 grade level for consideration for the GS-14 grade level. Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade.)

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that demonstrates: providing key leadership and program direction as a scientific professional in the critical mission related process to develop regulatory policy regarding existing and new meat, poultry, and egg inspection regulations to ensure policy meets the food safety public health and consumer protection goals of the Agency in a HACCP environment; planning, developing, and drafting policy, including FSIS directives and notices guidance, and other correspondence designed to clarify and implement agency policy; initiating, planning, and conducting studies, projects, and surveys which are broad in scope and significance to evaluate the effectiveness of both operational and public health performance related to food safety policy implementation and modernization; spokesperson and valid source of information for both technical and non-technical audiences in order to advise on HACCP based food safety programs and coordinating the work of and providing conceptual and professional/technical leadership and direction to other employees throughout FSIS who perform work in support of the program.

For the General Natural Resources Management And Biological Sciences, 0401
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For more information on the qualifications for 0401 click here

For the Microbiology Series, 0403
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A. Degree: microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent. OR
B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Graduate Education: Microbiology, or specific area of study such as bacteriology, virology, mycology, algology, protozoology, parasitology, immunology, serology, microbial genetics, or soil microbiology; or specific applied fields of microbiology such as clinical and public health microbiology, food tech-nology, production processes, industrial fermentation, pollution, etc. Graduate study in related fields such as experimental pathology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, biochemistry, animal or plant physiology, genetics, plant pathology, and insect disease control, may also be pertinent, provided it has direct application to microbiological work.
Evaluation of Education: Microbiology is a broad field of science encompassing a number of scientific disciplines or areas of science, the fields in which this science is applied, and related fields where the work is concerned with or involves microbiology. The scientific disciplines or areas of this science include bacteriology, immunology, serology, algology, mycology, parasitology, protozoology, rickettsi-ology, tissue culture, virology, and similar disciplines or areas of science. The applied fields include environmental, food, dairy, soil, industrial, public health, clinical, and agricultural microbiology, and similar areas in which microbiology is applied. Related fields include taxonomy and systematics, plant, animal, or human physiology or pathology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, ecology, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related or applies to microbiology . Except where the course work deals with a limited and specific segment of the science, where it might be limited in usefulness, most of the work, including that dealing with the development and use of microbiological methods, procedures, and techniques, is qualifying. In interpreting the substantive value of the course work, credit may be given for courses in related fields, depending on the degree to which the courses are related to micro-biological work.
Evaluation of Experience: For positions at GS-9 that involve a substantial amount of work in a specific specialized area or applied field of microbiology, at least 6 months of the experience must either have been in the appropriate area of specialization or applied field of microbiology, or have direct application in the area for which the applicant is being considered. For the GS-11 and higher grade levels of such specialized positions, the experience must have been sufficiently specialized to insure adequate familiarity with the area of specialization or applied field of microbiology, or have direct application in the area for which the applicant is being considered.
Alternate requirement: For GS-14 clinical and public health microbiology positions, certification by the American Board of Medical Microbiology/American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology, or election to Fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology fully meets the experience requirement for such positions.

For more information on the qualifications for 0403 click here

For the Consumer Safety Series, 0696
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
The education must have been obtained at a college, university, or an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
A. A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that includes at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provides knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work.
The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that includes the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming; OR
B. Combination of education and experience--courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Experience:
To meet specialized experience requirements, the applicant's work experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary to perform at the grade level of the position. Qualifying experience involves enforcing laws and regulations to protect consumers from foods, drugs, cosmetics, fabrics, toys, equipment, and household products that are defective, dangerous, impure, unwholesome, ineffective, or improperly or deceptively labeled or packaged.

For more information on the qualifications for 0696 click here

Education

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE
For the Veterinary Medical Science Series, 0701
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
A.Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree,i.e. Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA). The AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org (external link) , has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools. OR
B.Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education (Refer to AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org (external link) for information about schools in this category)must meet one of the following requirements:

Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)

Possession of a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States that includes successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) or its predecessors, the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT).

Proof that the education obtained in a foreign veterinary medical program is equivalent to that gained in a veterinary medical program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. Under this provision, equivalency is established only if an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college accepts the graduate's final transcript from the foreign veterinary medical school at full value for placement into an advanced degree, postgraduate educational program, or training program (e.g.residency or graduate program).

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide proof of proficiency in the English language by successfully completing one of the nationally and internationally recognized examinations that incorporate assessments of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Examples of examinations that assess mastery of the English language are shown below:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)-Minimum scores for the TOEFL are 560 for the paper-based version;220 for the computer-based version;or overall score of 83 for the internet-based version (including 26 or higher in speaking, 26 or higher in listening, and 17 or higher in writing). For the computer-based and paper-based test versions, applicants must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Minimum required scores are 55 for the TSE and 5.5 for the TWE.

Academic tests (listening, writing, and speaking) offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with at least 7.0 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, and 6.0 in writing;OR

Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 70, with at least 60 in speaking, 60 in listening, and 50 in writing.

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 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.

For more information on the qualifications for 0701 click here

For the Chemistry Series, 1320
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
A.Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics. OR
B.Combination of education and experience-course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For more information on the qualifications for 1320 click here

For the Food Technology Series, 1382
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
A.Degree: 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 a major, including the course work specified, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For more information on the qualifications for 1382 click here

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional information

- Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployed Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): 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 applications must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

- This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

- Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDAs TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

- Virtual duty station eligible (within the Washington, DC metro commuting area)

- It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. To see more information visit CHCO Council.

- More information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses and Schedule A Disabled may be found on the USAJOBS website.

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the education, experience, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Accountability
• Parterning
• Problem Solving
• Leadership
• Performance Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty

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. 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 to meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. 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/11161199

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

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

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

- 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) supervisor's phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check; 5) other qualifications. If you need assistance in creating a federal resume see this click here .
- College transcripts: If education is required or you are using education to meet a qualification requirement, you must submit a legible copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, it must include student name, school name, and enough information to validate qualifications such as course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was award, etc. Further, 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, visit Dept of Education Accredited Schools. 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 NACES . All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

You must submit the documents below if you claim any of the following:

- Current and Former Federal Employees:
1. Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND
2. Most recently completed performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan. [Note: FSIS bargaining unit employees are exempted from this requirement.] For more information click Competitive Hiring.

- Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP Priority: 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.