This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research Unit, located in New Orleans, LA. In this position, you will provide knowledge that stimulates consumer demand for health-promoting rice foods that would lead to increased profitability of the U.S. rice industry.

Duties

Develop novel carbohydrate technologies which enhance the health and/or techno-functional properties of starch or starchy foods, improve the biochemical characterization of rice cultivars for resistant and slowly digestible starch. Develop and apply technologies to increase resistant and slowly digestible starch in rice or food products containing rice. Work with scientists in the research unit to help resolve the milling quality, eating quality, biochemistry, and nutritional aspects of new and existing rice varieties, as well as newly developed food products. Modify starch for novel functional properties and/or resistance to digestion. Develop new chemical methods and technologies, innovative processing technologies, new processing and testing protocols for rice and starch from novel and colored rice varieties, and new food applications for rice byproducts. Collaborate with other scientists in the unit to investigate interrelationships between the raw materials, the biochemistry, the nutritional properties, and end quality of rice and various rice products. Collaborate with sensory scientists to determine how these properties influence consumer acceptance.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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
• Successful completion of a three year probationary period.

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 Requirements for the Chemist, 1320 series 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 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. Basic Requirements for the Food Technology, 1382 series 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 Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, including the course work specified, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below. GS-12 Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possess an equivalent combination of graduate level education and experience. Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level of this position are: developing new chemical methods and technologies; analyzing complex data; and collaborating with scientists within a research unit and stakeholders. GS-13 Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-13 level of this position are: developing new chemical methods and technologies related to rice or starch; developing innovative processing technologies for modification of starchy materials; developing new processing and testing protocols for rice and starch; presenting research results at professional meetings; and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. GS-14 Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-14 level of this position are: developing novel carbohydrate technologies that can enhance the health or techno-functional properties of starch or starchy foods, improving the biochemical characterization of rice cultivars for resistant and slowly digestible starch; developing technologies for improved utilization rice and its byproducts; enhancing the research and to enable commercialization of developed technologies; publishing independent research in peer-reviewed journals related to starch research; and leading other employees in a research program or project. 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. To further support your qualifications, it is strongly recommended that you submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Failure to do so could result in loss of your consideration/referral. Also, please submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications. Applicants must be available to report for duty at the time a selection is made. Selections are typically made within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 141 Experimental Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776 US
• Name: Kendra Bledsoe
• Phone: 7032599425
• Email: [email protected]