This position is located in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement and Protection Unit, in Kearneysville, West Virginia. The incumbent will propagate and cultivate a wide variety of plants and perform a wide range of gardening work including growing and tending orchards, hayfields, and non-croplands such as small fruit plantings, field crops, wood lots, fence rows, and ornamental plantings.

Duties

Prepare soil for plants, trees, seeding, thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, wood lots, and fence rows. Apply general agricultural and restricted use pesticides (EPA registered) to various fields and orchard crops, small fruit plantings, and field crops. Keep a chemical and fertilizer inventory and utilizing a web-based tracking system to keep spray application records. Install trellising and other support systems and irrigation. Use equipment such as attached self-propelled tractors and tractor towed spraying equipment: i.e., air blast orchard sprayers, trailer herbicide sprayers of both ground driven and PTO driven, and GPS controlled sprayers. Assist in performing maintenance and repairs on spray equipment; rebuild centrifugal, ground drive, high pressure, and metering pumps; and repair or replace lines. Bring observations of plant diseases, weeds and damaging insect activity to Farm Crew Manager to determine a course of action.

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.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• 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/.
• Motor Vehicle or Commercial Driver's License.
• Must possess or obtain a West Virginia Certified Pesticide Public Applicators Permit within 6 months of employment.
• Must be cleared to wear a respirator due to use of pesticides and other chemicals.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. In order to qualify for this position you must meet the following by the closing date of the vacancy announcement: 01/19/2024 Qualifications will be determined under the Job Element Rating System X-118C, Qualifications Standard Handbook. While a specific length of time and experience is not required for most Wage Grade positions, you must show through experience and training that you possess the best qualified level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of this position. Qualification requirements emphasize the quality of experience, not necessarily the length. The responses to the questionnaire and your resume should be in significant detail to provide the person rating your application with a good understanding of your ability to do the job, technical knowledge, work, and training experience, etc. (For example You must have the ability to perform the duties of a Farmer, without more than normal supervision (Screen Out)). Applicants who do not meet the SCREEN OUT ELEMENT will not be given further consideration. Working Conditions: Work is usually performed outside. The operator is constantly exposed to unpleasant noise levels and vibration, and severe jolting from the tractor and towed vehicles. Outside work often exposes the employee to long periods of hot sun, cold temperatures during pruning, and occasionally bad weather. May be exposed to chemical dust and sprays and may need to wear protective clothing and respirators. Must follow prescribed safety practices and use safety equipment to avoid injury and possible hazards in the work area. Physical Effort: Frequent arm and leg movement is required to manipulate tractors and allied equipment controls. Heavy physical effort is required to lift and move objects, e.g., bags of fertilizer, grain and seed, tractor attachments, and pesticide containers. Laboring aspects of the work involve heavy physical effort in lifting and moving objectives over 80 lbs with ease. 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

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 10300 Baltimore Avenue Beltsville, MD 20705 US
• Name: Sydney Teague
• Phone: 703-259-9455
• Email: [email protected]