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NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Job Title:  BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE SPECIQLIST (National Program Leader-Aquaculture)
Department:  Department Of Agriculture
Agency:  National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Job Announcement Number:  NIFA-S14N-0026

JOB SUMMARY:
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is the Federal component of a nationwide extramural research, educational, and outreach system which supports the global, science-based agricultural enterprise and accomplishes its missions in partnership with land-grant universities and other academic and scientific organizations. To learn more about NIFA, please visit http://www.nifa.usda.gov.
This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion procedures on NIFA-M14N-0027. Disabled Veterans, candidates with 3 or more years of active duty military service, and candidates eligible for special hiring authorities can apply to the Merit Promotion announcement if they meet criteria for the above and include supporting documents.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

• Occasional Travel
• Occasional site visits for meetings and conferences.

RELOCATION AUTHORIZED

• Relocation expenses may be authorized in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A 1-year probationary period is required.
• Suitable for Federal employment determined by a background investigation.

DUTIES

• As a National Program Leader for Aquaculture, the incumbent is responsible for performing critical tasks in five broad areas which include initiating program development and collaboration; networking and collaborating with partners and stakeholders to identify mission relevant problems, opportunities and issues requiring Federal attention and support; conceiving, formulating, and executing programs and activities to respond to existing or emerging problems, opportunities, priorities and issues for development; developing and applying science based-knowledge by working with university and other partners; and evaluating and assessing the quality, outcomes and impacts of these programs.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement, including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.

BASIC REQUIREMENT

You must meet one of the minimum education requirements below:

• A. A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or a related discipline appropriate to the position, that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the fields listed above; OR

• B. A combination of education and experience that includes course equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to the basic requirement, you must meet specialized experience:

• GS-14: Qualifying experience includes one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-13 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.  Examples include the following: (1) networking and collaborating with stakeholders on emerging issues in aquaculture research, education and extension; (2) implementing aquaculture program activities; (3) promoting aquaculture program activities; (4) managing and evaluating aquaculture programs; and (5) identifying problems and opportunities in aquaculture research education and extension.

• GS-15: Qualifying experience includes one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-14 which is directly related to the position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples include the following: (1) participating in and/or leading interagency working groups and task forces related to aquaculture; (2) engaging in high level, interagency discussions regarding federal policies and guidelines affecting aquaculture; (3) integrating knowledge and information across disciplines to address problems and opportunities in aquaculture; and (4) providing vision, direction and perspective for the U.S. aquaculture industry.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-admin.asp

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.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

The category rating procedure is used to rank and select eligible candidates. Under category rating, applicants who meet basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position and whose job related competencies have been assessed are ranked by being placed in one of the following categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.
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:

• Technical Competence in Aquaculture
• Planning and Evaluating
• https://nifa.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=2bfcc022-9beb-4aa0-9e02-a33f009f119f

BENEFITS:

• The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees at: http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/enrollment/new-federal-employee-enrollment/

  OTHER INFORMATION:

• Career Transition Assistance Plan(CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, provide proof of eligibility to include your most recent performance appraisal, SF-50, and proof of eligibility such as a RIF separation notice or letter from OPM/your agency. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles will be considered well-qualified if achieving a rating of 85 or above. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
• More than one selection may be made if another vacancy occurs within 90 days of the issuance of the certification of eligibility.
• Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact: USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

HOW TO APPLY:
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin.
The following instructions outline our application process.

• You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
• We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
• This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you are requesting this.
• Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
• Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
• Step 3: Click “Apply Online” and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required.

You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on “Application Status.” Click on the position title, and then select “Update Application” to continue.
NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency’s staffing system. Once in the Agency’s staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
You must submit a complete Application Package, prior to 11:59, ET, on the closing date of this announcement. The following documents must be submitted for your application package to be considered complete. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are received within the required timeframes. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, system failure or downtime, etc. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes the following information: 1) job information for which you are applying; 2) personal information; 3) education; 4) work experience including the work schedule and hours worked per week as well as dates of employment; and title, series and grade if applicable; 5) supervisors phone number and e-mail address for each work period listed and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks; and, 6) other qualifications.
College Transcripts if education is required for meeting basic qualifications and/or you are substituting education for specialized experience and/or if you are using education to meet the criteria for the quality category. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if selected, an official college transcript will be required prior to entering on duty.  Education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Foreign education must be evaluated by an approved organization. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov.  All transcripts must be in English or include and English translation.
DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) if claiming Veterans’ Preference. Veterans claiming 10 point preference must also submit a VA Letter and an SF-15 Application for 10-point Veteran Preference. Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within the last 120 days.

Other required documents may include:

• CTAP/ICTAP Required Documentation Reduction-In-Force: Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; AND most recent performance evaluation; AND SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from.
• Worker’s Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
• Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
  NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency’s staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency’s staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:
Aminatu Thomas
Phone: 301-504-2416
Fax: 000-000-0000
TDD: 202-855-1234
Email: Aminatu.Thomas@ars.usda.gov

Agency Information:
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
5601 Sunnyside Ave
Beltsville, MD,
20705
United States
Fax: 000-000-0000
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, you will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected. If you choose not to set up automatic email notifications, you must check your USAJOBS account for the latest status of your application. Your application may be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position prior to issuing lists to a selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.