This position is located in the Farm Service Agency, Vermont State Office, located in Colchester, Chittenden County, Vermont. The selectee participates in and shares in the responsibility for planning, directing, and administering all aspects of administrative duties, agricultural programs and loan programs carried out by the state office.

Duties

Receives and helps evaluates suggestions and recommendations for improvement. Carries out the provisions of the Internal Controls and Integrity Reviews Program by assisting higher-graded Program Specialists in the reviews covering assigned FSA Agricultural Program duties. Assists higher-graded Specialist in the gathering and selection of information for use in the administration of assigned programs. Provides technical guidance related to preparation and transmittal of Time and Attendance records and analyzes problems and assists in implementing corrective action. Prepares correspondence, procedures, notices, handbook supplements, instructions and forms for use by State and County Office personnel relating to the administration of assigned programs.

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. If selected, you will be sent instruction on obtaining fingerprints. Please note, we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• 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/.
• 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 by the closing date of the announcement 12/21/2023 including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined. For the GS-7: Specialized Experience: One full-time year of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-5 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience 1) presenting information and responding to questions on topics involving assigned program responsibilities; 2) providing information on the status of automated loan and supporting program applications; 3) assisting in the preparation of procedures, supplements, instructions and forms for use in administration of programs; and 4) assisting in researching program information to prepare calculations for reports; OR Superior Academic Achievement: Superior Academic Achievement from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in dairy science, agricultural marketing, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, or other agricultural specialty areas; with either: 1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; 2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; 3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; 4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS); OR Education: Successful completion of one year of graduate education OR A master's degree or higher graduate degree with a major field of study as listed above. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS); OR Combination: A combination of graduate education and experience as listed above. For the GS-9: Specialized Experience: One full-time year of specialized work experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-7 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience 1) providing technical advice and assistance on less complex matters concerning loan making and servicing methods; 2) participating in processing foreclosures and other legal actions; 3) utilizing automated system(s) to maintain crop tables; and 4) serving as the first point of contact for program interpretation on questions within assigned program areas; OR Education: Two full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in dairy science, agricultural marketing, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, or other agricultural specialty areas; OR Combination: Combination of graduate education and experience as listed above. 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 more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-admin.asp 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

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements for the GS-9 or GS-11:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Contacts

• Address Farm Service Agency 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Katya Bou-Sliman
• Email: [email protected]