This position is located Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in the Division of Agricultural Select Agents (DASAT) and Toxins, Operations Branch. The incumbent serves as a technical consultant and supervisor on select agent regulations, biosafety, and security and represents DASAT as a subject matter expert in formal meetings, webinars, training events, and conference calls with the regulated community.

Duties

The duties may include, but are not limited to: Develops operational and policy decisions and creates critical documents such as inspection reports, enforcement actions, compliance letters and SOPs. Collaborates with Technical Unit File Managers to monitor and evaluate the registration process of U.S. entities regulated under 7 CFR Part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121. Evaluates and provides technical support of the inspection process of biological high containment facilities. Reviews and approves the work conducted by the team for critical duties under 7 CFR Part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121. Serves as a recognized authority on scientific and technical issues considered to be of the most complex nature. Examines methods to improve day-to-day operations within inspection staff. Develops training curriculum and formal presentations. Leads and coordinates the activities of a team of approximately 4 employees performing professional duties in support of the DASAT mission and functions.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• The work is performed in office settings, research laboratories (BSL2, BSL3, BSL4, ACL3, ACL4), animal laboratory facilities (ABSL3, ABSL4, ABSL3-Ag), and storage locations for select agents and toxins.
• The work may involve exposure to a variety of biological, chemical or radiological hazards. Use of protective equipment such as respirators, disposable clothing, and eye protection is required.
• Immunization against a number of disease agents may be required.
• The ability to travel up to 50 percent of the time using government, domestic, and/or foreign modes of air, land, and/or sea transportation.
• This position requires a Tier 3 Non-Critical Sensitive (Secret) security clearance.
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.

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. All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. FOR THE GS-13 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Coordinates and provides technical leadership on Federal resources to respond to emergencies while strengthening and maintaining intergovernmental relationships. Effectively communicates, verbally and in writing, with internal and external stakeholders on Federal emergency management objectives, policies, and procedures. Applies Federal emergency management knowledge and experience while developing plans, participating in exercises and responding to all hazard emergencies. Coordinates Federal preparedness and response efforts with federal agencies, ESF partners and at the department level. Supervising, training, evaluating and managing a team of subordinate personnel. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Ph.D. degree in an area of specialization, including but not limited to, animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary preventive medicine, comparative biological sciences, epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR BOARD CERTIFICATION-Specialty boards that are recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) certify eligible candidates as specialists in specific veterinary medical fields. Veterinarians who successfully complete all requirements for Diplomate status in an ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty organization may qualify for the GS-13 grade level. Applicants should provide a certificate or letter documenting their diplomat status. TRANSCRIPTS are required: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. 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 COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-13 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. 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 REQUIREMENT: 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 website has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools. AVMA website: https://www.avma.org

OR

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.

• a) Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
• b) 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) the Clinical Competency Test (CCT) OR
• c) 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).

In addition, 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:

• a) 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;
• b) 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
• c) 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.

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must submit test results with their application. Results of more than one test or testing session cannot be combined to meet the standard.

Waiver Provision: English language proficiency assessments may be waived for qualified job applicants whose native language is English (i.e., the official or common language of an individuals country of birth is English) who submit a diploma or other official documentation as proof of graduation from a high (secondary) school where the entire curriculum and educational programs were taught in the English language for the entire 3 or 4 years of full-time attendance.

Medical Requirements:

Individuals must be physically and mentally able to safely and efficiently perform the full range of duties of the position without creating hazards to themselves or others.

Veterinary Medical Officers who inspect or supervise inspection activities in privately owned slaughter houses and processing plants must meet specific medical standards and physical requirements established by the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Contacts

• Address Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA APHIS MRPBS 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401 US
• Name: APHIS Human Resources
• Phone: 612-336-3227
• Email: [email protected]