This position is located in Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Emergency and Regulatory Compliance Services (ERCS), Division of Agricultural Select Agents (DASAT) and Toxins, Operations Branch and serves as an inspector's supervisor with expertise on select agent regulations, bio-safety, and bio-security.

Duties

The duties may include, but are not limited to: Participate in the development of operational and policy decisions and creates critical documents. Serve as a senior technical advisor and inspector by conducting evaluations and inspections, as required, of biological high containment laboratories. Evaluate and provide technical support of the inspection process of biological high containment facilities (BSL 2, 3, and 4). Develop and implement management strategies for ensuring compliance with the select agent regulations. Develop training curriculum and formal presentations. Lead and coordinate the activities of a team performing professional duties in support of the DASAT mission and functions.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male 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.
• Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary 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 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.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Extensive travel within the United States will be required.
• Use of protective equipment such as respirators, disposable clothing, and eye protection is required.
• Immunization against a number of disease agents may be required.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. GS-0701 BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below. GS-0403 BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: The following Selective Placement Factor (SPF) requirement is being used to determine whether an applicant fully qualifies for this position: Do you have experience inspecting entities under the Federal Select Agent Program (Division of Agriculture Select Agents and Toxins or Division of Regulatory Science and Compliance)? Evidence of this experience must be documented in your resume. Applicants who fail to meet this requirement and/or address the SPF may lose further consideration. FOR THE GS-13 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Applying laws and regulations concerning inspection, investigation, enforcement, and/or compliance work with select agents and experience with a full range of laboratory procedures. Working in Biosafety Level 2 and 3 microbiological and biomedical laboratory facilities and experience with biological containment facility design, laboratory support services and animal care support services and facilities at all levels of containment. Applying occupational safety and health principles, guidelines, and practices applicable to work with select agents and toxins in a laboratory setting. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-701-13 GRADE LEVEL: Successful completion of a PhD degree in an area of specialization including, but not limited to: animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary preventive medicine, comparative biological sciences, epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or other sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR RESIDENCY/POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE GS-701-13 GRADE LEVEL. Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position. Applicants should provide a certificate or letter documenting the completion of this program. OR BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR THE GS-701-13 GRADE LEVEL-Specialty boards that are recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) certify eligible candidates as specialists in specific veterinary medical fields. Veterinarians who successfully complete all requirements for Diplomate status in an ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty organization may qualify for the GS-13 grade level. Applicants should provide a certificate or letter documenting their diplomate status. There is no education substitution for the 0403 series. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university 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. Additional information: First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Education

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

Veterinary Medical Officer (0701):Degree: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA). The AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org(external link), has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools.

OR

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education (Refer to AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org(external link) for information about schools in this category) must meet one of the following requirements:

1. Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
2. Possession of a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States that includes successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) or its predecessors, the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT).
3. Proof that the education obtained in a foreign veterinary medical program is equivalent to that gained in a veterinary medical program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. Under this provision, equivalency is established only if an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college accepts the graduate's final transcript from the foreign veterinary medical school at full value for placement into an advanced degree, postgraduate educational program, or training program (e.g. residency or graduate program).

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide proof of proficiency in the English language by successfully completing one of the nationally and internationally recognized examinations that incorporate assessments of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must submit test results with their application. Results of more than one test or testing session cannot be combined to meet the standard.

Examples of examinations that assess mastery of the English language are shown below:

1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Minimum scores for the TOEFL are 560 for the paper-based version; 220 for the computer-based version; or overall score of 83 for the internet-based version (including 26 or higher in speaking, 26 or higher in listening, and 17 or higher in writing). For the computer-based and paper-based test versions, applicants must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Minimum required scores are 55 for the TSE and 5.5 for the TWE;
2. Academic tests (listening, writing, and speaking) offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with at least 7.0 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, and 6.0 in writing; OR
3. Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 70, with at least 60 in speaking, 60 in listening, and 50 in writing.

Contacts

• Address Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA APHIS MRPBS 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401 US
• Name: MRP Human Resources
• Phone: 612-336-3227
• Email: [email protected]