This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Southeast Area (SEA), at the Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, SC. In this position, you will conduct research and transfer solutions that improve agricultural production, protect the environment, and enhance the conservation of natural resources - all within an efficient and profitable agriculture.

Duties

Provide leadership in research to improve cotton production by developing new breeding technologies and computational tools that improve cotton fiber quality, yield stability, and climate resiliency. Use high-throughput phenotyping, environmental, and genomics data to develop predictive models and other computational tools for cotton breeding. Characterize a wide range of cotton germplasm for field performance under water-deficit stress. Identify genetic factors associated with cotton yield and fiber quality performance under water-deficit stress.

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.
• Supervisory Responsibilities (EEO Statement).
• Motor Vehicle or Commercial Driver's License Required.

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 Genetics Series, 0440: Degree: genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics. OR Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as plant breeding, agronomy, horticulture, animal, dairy, or poultry husbandry, entomology, microbiology, plant pathology, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology that involved cross-training in genetics is qualifying, provided it placed sufficient emphasis on genetics. Evaluation of Education: Most students in the field take graduate work because specific training in genetics may be limited at the undergraduate level. Under these circumstances, it may be necessary to evaluate undergraduate course work in genetics in one of two ways, as described below, to determine whether or not it is qualifying. Courses dealing with genetics, some phase of genetics, or specific techniques that are applied in genetics work are acceptable. This includes courses in genetics, plant or animal genetics, molecular and cellular biology, mathematics, and statistics (as they apply to genetics), population dynamics, and certain techniques such as those dealing with irradiation. Course work consisting of an appropriate combination of basic courses in genetics and cytology or statistics are also acceptable. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, 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: experience conducting research related to crop breeding or crop production; conducting quantitative genetic analysis of high-throughput phenotyping and/or genomics data; conducting research on crop response to drought and other abiotic stresses, and publishing research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals related to genetics or crop breeding. 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: experience designing and conducting independent research related to developing predictive breeding models based on high-throughput phenotyping and/or genomics data; developing and utilizing genetic resources and populations for trait research and development; identifying genetic or molecular mechanisms of crop responses to drought and other abiotic stresses; and analyzing experimental data and publishing research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals related to genetics or crop breeding. 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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 141 Experimental Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776 US
• Name: Juliana Hensley
• Phone: (571) 669-3483
• Email: [email protected]