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As an Entomologist (Identifier) with APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), you will provide expertise in pest biology, taxonomy, and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant, reviewing, evaluating and suggesting modifications of inspection or trapping methodologies and approaches as an enhancement to plant pest and plant disease surveillance systems.


The duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Identifies plant pests such as insects, some arachnids (e.g., mites, ticks, spiders), and mollusks, in immature and adult stages; identifies specimens to genera and species and family level.
  • Categorizes potential pest as injurious and of economic significance; cosmopolitan and domestic and not significant; or not significant or cosmopolitan and domestic but significant in parts of the US.
  • Maintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
  • Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of and procedures for detecting plant pests.
  • Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.
  • Exercises agency regulatory authority by initiating regulatory action, e.g. for quarantine pests intercepted from imported commodities or new State or county determinations from domestic surveys.
  • Provides technical assistance regarding PPQ domestic program pests and exotic pests, and the pathways with which they enter the US by analyzing interception records for trends of pest entry.
  • Keeps current and uses state of the art technology to perform taxonomic duties such as digital imaging, chemical diagnostic tests, and microscopy and specimen preparation techniques and equipment.
  • Assists in providing oversight of laboratory support staff including laboratory technicians, student employees, and data entry assistants.

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology.

OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major that included course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

  • Experience identifying a variety of plant pests, such as insects, some arachnids (e.g. mites, ticks, spiders) or mollusks, in immature and adult stages.
  • Experience maintaining specimen collections of plant pests and consulting with and advising federal agencies, state departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of and procedures for detecting plant pests.
  • Experience developing or aiding in developing informative and educational training material and identification aids for plant pests and assisting in delivering training to the general public.
  • Experience maintaining information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.

OR 2 years of graduate-level education leading to a master's degree in entomology or a related discipline. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

  • This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
  • You are qualifying for the position based on education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
  • This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university

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:

 

  • Compliance Inspection
  • Entomology
  • Research



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.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12378060