This position is in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Field Organization, Southeast Area (SEA), US National Poultry Research Center, Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing RU located in Athens, GA. In this position you will provide leadership and guidance for conducting independent and team research in a broad, multidisciplinary program to identify and control foodborne human pathogens and antibiotic resistance associated with poultry meat.

Duties

Evaluate risk factors that enhance survival of Salmonella and Campylobacter across the poultry processing chain and develop targeted solutions. Develop poultry slaughter and processing control strategies to reduce the quantifiable loads of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Identify and determine the presence and contributing factors for antimicrobial resistant foodborne bacteria in poultry and poultry associated environments. Identify and evaluate biological and chemical intervention products and alternatives to antimicrobials to control or reduce foodborne pathogens in poultry. Develop new technologies and management strategies to reduce foodborne pathogens associated with poultry products to assure a safe and wholesome food supply for the consumer.

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.
• 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 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 Microbiology Series, 0403 Degree: 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 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 courses as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Graduate Education: Microbiology, or specific area of study such as bacteriology, virology, mycology, algology, protozoology, parasitology, immunology, serology, microbial genetics, or soil microbiology; or specific applied fields of microbiology such as clinical and public health microbiology, food technology, production processes, industrial fermentation, pollution, etc. Graduate study in related fields such as experimental pathology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, biochemistry, animal or plant physiology, genetics, plant pathology, and insect disease control, may also be pertinent, provided it has direct application to microbiological work. Evaluation of Education: Microbiology is a broad field of science encompassing a number of scientific disciplines or areas of science, the fields in which this science is applied, and related fields where the work is concerned with or involves microbiology. The scientific disciplines or areas of this science include bacteriology, immunology, serology, algology, mycology, parasitology, protozoology, rickettsology, tissue culture, virology, and similar disciplines or areas of science. The applied fields include environmental, food, dairy, soil, industrial, public health, clinical, and agricultural microbiology, and similar areas in which microbiology is applied. Related fields include taxonomy and systematics, plant, animal, or human physiology or pathology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, ecology, and similar areas of science where the work is directly related or applies to microbiology. Except where the course work deals with a limited and specific segment of the science, where it might be limited in usefulness, most of the work, including that dealing with the development and use of microbiological methods, procedures, and techniques, is qualifying. In interpreting the substantive value of the course work, credit may be given for courses in related fields, depending on the degree to which the courses are related to micro-biological work. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below. 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: independently conducting research to reduce or eliminate the presence of human foodborne bacterial pathogens on processed poultry or meat; identifying and evaluating biological and chemical intervention products and alternatives to antimicrobials to control or reduce foodborne bacteria in poultry or meat and their associated environments; and publishing research results in peer reviewed journals related to microbiology, animal or poultry science, food safety or food science. GS-15: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 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-15 level of this position are: providing leadership and guidance for conducting independent and team research to identify and control foodborne human pathogens and antibiotic resistance associated with poultry or meat; development and the application of diagnostic tools and interventions strategies to predict, minimize, prevent foodborne pathogens; leading microbiology research to determine the relationship between genomic and phenotypic characteristics of bacterial food safety pathogens, production microbiomes and management-driven properties of the food system; developing new or improving existing management or processing strategies to reduce risk; publishing research results in peer reviewed journals related to microbiology, animal or poultry science , food safety or food science, and presenting research findings at professional meetings. 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: Ehila Melton
• Phone: 5716694043
• Email: [email protected]