This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Biological Control of Pests Research Unit in Stoneville, MS. In this position, you will actively participate in one or more phases of the research process related to insects and plants by performing a variety of technical duties in a laboratory or greenhouse environment.

Duties

Collect, prepare, evaluate, rear, and verify insect, fungi, and plant samples and supporting records. Perform a full range of techniques and studies using a variety of specialized equipment including analytical balances, autoclaves, and microscopes. Adapt, modify, or develop new techniques or procedures to satisfy the needs of the research project. Perform analytical chemistry techniques including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, and gas chromatography (GC) analysis.

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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/

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. GS-06 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-06 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience includes experience collecting or evaluating plant, fungi or insect samples; keeping detailed records of experimental data; and performing routine and recurring techniques using a variety of specialized equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Plant Biology, Entomology, Botany, Biology, Chemistry, or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience includes experience participating in a research project involving plants, fungi, or insects; statistically analyzing or summarizing data; and maintaining equipment and automated systems used for test or evaluation procedures. OR Education: Successful completion of one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Plant Biology, Entomology, Botany, Biology, Chemistry, or Agricultural Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. 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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 141 Experimental Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776 US
• Name: Kayleigh Pfeiffer
• Phone: 703-995-9645
• Email: [email protected]