These positions are located in the USDA, ARS, Northeast Area, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Sustainable Agricultural Research Center (SASL) in Beltsville, MD. In these positions, you will serve as a Biologist, participating with the SASL staff scientist in all phases of the research process, focused on quantifying water and nutrient availability, greenhouse gas, precision agriculture, and crop stress in organic and conventional cropping systems.

Duties

Perform a variety of complex technical duties pertaining to research on water and nutrient management in organic and conventional cropping systems. Assume technical responsibility for specific phases of the research providing input into the initial planning of experiments, contribute to the planning of various steps in experiments/projects and to the interpretation and documentation of findings. Select appropriate methods and procedures for carrying the project plan to completion. Responsible for collection, preparation, and analysis of representative plant, soil, and water samples from ongoing experiments. Undertake routine care, maintenance, and calibration of moderately complex laboratory instruments, e.g., pH meter, spectrophotometer, automated chemical analyzer. Adapt, modify, or develop new techniques or procedures to satisfy the needs of the research project. Ensure minimal loss of data due to equipment failure and maintain backup copies of data.

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/
• Valid motor vehicle or commercial driver’s license required.
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds and walk on uneven agricultural fields.

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 Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. AND In addition to meeting the basic education requirement above, you must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: GS-11 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-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience developing sensing technology; developing hardware adjacent software; developing plant phenotyping technologies for plant breeding and production research; working with satellite imagery or other remote sensing technologies; developing computer vision applications for agriculture; working with robotic platforms; and training or mentoring technicians or students. OR Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Agronomy, Remote Sensing, Crop Science, Agricultural Engineering, Geospatial Information Sciences, or closely related fields. OR A combination of doctorate-level education and specialized experience as described above. Physical Demands The work requires some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking on agricultural fields that have uneven surfaces; climbing on ladders or large field equipment; bending, crouching, stooping, lifting, or reaching to observe, collect, or record field data. Physical exertion includes the ability to lift large bags of seed or fertilizer and carry soil samples from the field to a vehicle. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried occasionally. At times the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) will contribute to the arduous nature of the job. Work Environment The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., working with irritant chemicals, dusty environment, or working outdoors. Working outside will expose the employee to periods of hot and cold weather as well as humid, wet, and dry conditions. The incumbent is required to use protective items such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, ear protection, and sunscreen. 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 10300 Baltimore Avenue Beltsville, MD 20705 US
• Name: Sydney Teague
• Phone: 703-259-9455
• Email: [email protected]