This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service, Plains Area, Soil and Water Management Research Unit in Bushland, Texas. In this position, you will be responsible for improving resilience and crop water productivity of various irrigated and dryland cropping systems in support of the regional beef and dairy industries.

Duties

Develop irrigated and dryland cropping systems to improve crop water productivity and resilience with limited quality water resources, variable climatic seasons, and mitigate episodic drought events to sustain crop productivity and profitability. Utilize research results to develop and improve forage and grain crop production systems, crop water productivity, and contribute to enhanced decision support systems for irrigation and dryland production systems. Research mitigation of climate change effects on agriculture, enhances the development of advanced irrigation and dryland management through decision support tools, simulation modeling, sensor technologies, and soil/residue management practice. Conduct basic and applied research to improve resilience and crop water productivity of various irrigated and dryland cropping systems in support of the regional beef and dairy industries. Develop management practices to improve marginally irrigated and dryland cropping systems and develop soil and water management practices to sustain water and soil resource. Conduct supporting research to enhance natural resource simulation tools.

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.
• 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 Plant Physiology Series, 0435 Degree: botany or plant physiology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 10 semester hours in plant physiology. Evaluation of Education: The 10-semester-hour requirement in plant physiology is specific. Course work is qualifying if it dealt with plant physiology, some phase of plant physiology, or methods and techniques applied in plant physiology work. Other course work in borderline areas should be evaluated on the basis of content. Basic Requirements for Soil Science Series, 0470 Degree: soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above and in the education section below, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below. GS-12 Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possess an equivalent combination of graduate level education and experience. Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level of this position are: Conducting research that helps to mitigate climate change effects on agriculture; utilizing research methods to develop advanced irrigation and dryland management techniques; using support tools, simulation modeling, sensor technologies, and soil/residue management practices; and publishing research results in peer reviewed journals related to plant physiology, soil science, or agronomy. GS-13 Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 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-13 level of this position are: Conducting research that focuses on mitigating climate change effects on agriculture; improving resilience and crop water productivity of various irrigated and dryland cropping systems; using support tools, simulation modeling, sensor technologies, and soil/residue management practices; publishing original research as first author in peer-reviewed scientific journals related to plant physiology, soil science, or agronomy with a focus on crops or soils; and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. 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: Developing, planning, and conducting research that helps to mitigate climate change effects on agriculture with a focus on nutrient loss and soil erosion; researching and developing crop and soil modeling approaches to quantify and simulate responses to agricultural system issues; creating management practices to improve cropping systems and sustainable water and soil resources; publishing independent research findings as either first or senior corresponding author in peer-reviewed journals related to plant physiology, soil science, or agronomy with a focus on crop productivity; establishing collaborations with internal and external stakeholders; and presenting research findings at professional meetings 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: Leading experiments that mitigate climate change effects on agriculture with a focus on nutrient loss, soil erosion, and water resources; researching and developing innovative mechanistic crop and soil modeling approaches to quantify and simulate responses to complex, multifaceted agricultural systems issues; publishing independent research findings as either first or senior corresponding author in peer-reviewed journals related to plant physiology, soil science, or agronomy with a focus on crop responses to soils, abiotic production factors and stresses; delivering meaningful solutions to internal and external stakeholders; and presenting research findings at professional meetings of national stature. 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

Basic Requirements for Agronomy Series, 0471
Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management.
OR
Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy.

Evaluation of Education: Course work in such subjects as botany, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant breeding or genetics, plant ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, agronomy, or those dealing with basic soil-water-plant relationships of an agronomic or ecologic nature may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic plant sciences. Agronomy courses include agronomy, fieldcrops, field crop production or management, soil and crop management, plant breeding and development, weed control, and similar courses, including those in soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, etc., provided they dealt with principles, methods, or procedures that are applied directly in agronomic work and in the solving of agronomic problems.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 2150 Centre Avenue Building D, Suite 300 Fort Collins, CO 80526 US
• Name: Matthew Knoche
• Phone: (571) 418-0373
• Email: [email protected]