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Duties

  • Independently plans and carries out assigned microbial analyses on a variety of samples of meat, poultry, and egg products, including the very difficult, complex, or unusual sample sand analytical requests submitted to the laboratory.
  • Performs microbial examinations of meat and poultry products and ingredients to determine the presence, numbers and species of bacteria with particular emphasis on salmonella, listeria, staphylococcus, clostridium, E. coli 0157:H7, and other species.
  • Prepares and maintains reagents, and control cultures necessary to perform assigned analyses. Performs all necessary quality control and quality assurance procedures of instruments, equipment and reagents.
  • Quality test media and reagents and performs lot acceptance on commercially acquired test kits and reagents.
  • Maintains quality assurance records to serve as documentation for ISO Guide 17025, Microbiological Laboratory Guidebook, and Quality Assurance Plan for laboratory.
  • Interprets and evaluates the results of the microbial analyses and compares the results to pertinent agency regulations to determine whether the sample meets regulatory standards.
  • Develops and writes laboratory and section work instructions, spreadsheets and forms.

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 (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check and must pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/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.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements (including specialized experience and/or education) by the closing date of the announcement as defined below:

GS-05:
Specialized Experience: Applicants who meet the basic education requirements are fully qualified for the GS-5.

GS-07
Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:
  • Working in a food microbiology laboratory performing microbial analyses. OR
  • Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): To qualify for SAA, you must have completed all requirements for a bachelor's degree and meet one of the following:
  1. A grade point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study;
  2. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study;
  3. Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision; or
  4. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. OR

Graduate-Level Education: One full year of graduate education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be determined from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as equivalent to 1 year of full-time study. OR


Combination of experience and education: You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate-level education. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the graduate-level education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent.

GS-09
Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:
  • Working as a food microbiologist or microbiologist analyzing food products;
  • Using standard quality systems;
  • Developing and modifying analytical methods;
  • Planning and conducting microbiological analyses to solve scientific and technical problems; and
  • Interpreting findings. OR

Education: You must possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be determined from the school, 36 semester hours should be considered as equivalent to 2 years of full-time study. OR


Combination of experience and education: You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate-level education. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of 1 year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify.

GS-11
Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service that includes:
  • Working as a food microbiologist or microbiologist analyzing food products;
  • Using standard quality systems;
  • Developing and modifying analytical methods;
  • Planning and conducting microbiological analyses to solve scientific and technical problems;
  • Interpreting findings; and
  • Writing protocols and laboratory communications. OR

Education: You must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be determined from the school, 54 semester hours will be considered as equivalent to 3 years of full-time study. OR

Combination of experience and education: You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate-level education. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of 2 years (36 semester hours) may be used to qualify.

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

Basic Education Requirements - All Grades: To be considered for this position, all applicants must demonstrate successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in 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 Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, 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 20semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Please note that the salary listed is for the Rest of the United States. If selected your pay may be increased depending upon the locality pay of the area of the position.


Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s).

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).

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.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

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.

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.
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.

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.

Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

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 two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Only those highly rated by the subject matter experts will be referred to the selecting official. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience, and the result of the pre-cert SME panel the preliminary resume and education (if applicable) reviewrequired for this position. Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the pre-certificate evaluation.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
  • Attention to Detail
  • Oral and Written Communications
  • Oral and Written Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Self Management
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
In addition to the online questionnaire, applicants for this position will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts. Pre-cert SME resume and/or education review. If a panel is conducted, subject matter experts may review your resume and other application materials to determine your qualifications and assign a rating based on the required competencies. Please ensure that your resume does not simply list job duties, but also highlights accomplishments that demonstrate possession of the required competencies.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and assessment questionnaire, this position requires a preliminary resume and education (if applicable) review to evaluate competencies and education (if applicable) required to perform the job.

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/11500455

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

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; and 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, click here.

If using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application as long as it includes: student name, school name, and enough information to validate qualifications (course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was awarded, etc.). If 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. Verify accreditation here: Dept. of Education Accredited Schools. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit evidence that the institute was accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is equivalent to U.S. education standards. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit NACES. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

If claiming Veterans' Preference, you must submit a DD-214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, showing 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 (no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted). Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. Veterans' Preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive Veterans' Preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) you submitted.

If claiming 10-point Veterans' Preference, you must provide the DD-214 or certification requirements (see above), plus the proof of entitlement for 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 information on Veterans' Preference see: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/.

Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP 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).

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted and failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/03/2022 to receive consideration.

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than 12 P.M. (ET) on the closing date of the announcement 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. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

Alternative Methods for Applying: If you are unable to apply using the internet, please fax your request for an application package along with your name and mailing address to: HR (Branch 1) 1-833-840-9220.

To begin, click "Apply Online" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.

Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already 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: In your USAJOBS account, you will have the opportunity to select your stored USAJOBS resume, create a new resume or upload a resume, and upload other relevant documents. All uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). See "Required Documents" for details. Select the document you want to submit.

Step 3: Click "Apply Online," answer all required questions, verify the documents you selected from USAJOBS transferred into the Agency's staffing system, and attach any additional documents that may not have transferred or be required. If qualifying based on education, you must submit a legible copy of your college transcript(s), with your application package, showing your conferred degree (if any) and/or applicable coursework as proof that you qualify based on education. If you have not yet graduated, submit your current transcript.

NOTE: It is an applicant's responsibility to submit updated information. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.

NOTE: 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 documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you are strongly encouraged to visit your library, state employment office, or another establishment that provides internet service to complete the online application and the assessment questionnaire. If this is not an option, refer to the Alternative Methods for Applying section below for specific instructions.