This position is located in The Agricultural Economic Development (AED) Division within the Global Programs (GP) area of USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The incumbent in this position will be assigned as a technical expert from FAS to the Office of Technical and Program Quality (TPQ), Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide highly specialized expert advice and analysis in food and humanitarian assistance programs.

Duties

The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade level, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. Apply scientific knowledge and experience to matters of safety and quality of food assistance commodities, new product development, packaging improvement, and research. Represents BHA on the USG Food Safety Working Group. Identify and lead opportunities to research, analyze, plan, coordinate, and negotiate scientific aspects of food assistance products, packaging, supply chain, and/or supplier approval, both within USAID and with external partners. Work closely with Nutrition Advisors on the development of literature reviews, talking points, and position statements regarding best shelf life for manufactured foods. Provide periodic briefings and written reports to USAID, USDA, and other government officials and external partners on related technical program issues. Organize and negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial agency resources or require extensive changes in established procedure.

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 trial period.
• 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/
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

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 REQUIREMENT: A. Master's Degree: food technology, or dairy technology, microbiology, biology, chemistry, physics, or a related discipline or field of biological or physical science. The course work must have been comprised of at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and physical sciences, and included at least 20 semester hours in food technology and closely related subjects, or 20 semester hours in subjects that can be applied directly to food technology. -or- B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in Food Technology, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement, you also need to meet the following: FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates (Your resume must reflect where, when, and how you gained this experience.) Experience managing complex intra- and inter-agency or organization coordination to develop shared programmatic or policy goals. Private industry level experience working on food product development. Experience developing, producing or auditing fortified foods that need long shelf life under severe conditions. Experience auditing food production facilities. Experience in working in humanitarian contexts.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Foreign Agricultural Service Human Capital Management Division 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Paige Payne
• Phone: 202-572-5970
• Email: [email protected]