The incumbent will serve as Research Leader for the Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, and participate in a research project for NP101, Optimizing Welfare for Food Producing Animals. The incumbent will lead a team responsible for developing scientific measures of livestock stress and well-being and identifying sustainable approaches to optimize animal welfare.

Duties

Exploring measures that identify positive and negative states of welfare related to behavior, physiological response, neurological function, immune status, physical and mental health, and productivity in food-producing animals. Providing the scientific information required to accurately assess farm animal welfare and reduce animal stress, using the measures from the six disciplines listed above. Determining how to balance the welfare needs of livestock with the needs of livestock producers. Developing innovative solutions that will allow for both optimum animal welfare and animal production. Supervisory duties include: Providing vision, establishing and maintaining an advisory stakeholder base and developing research programs to address stakeholder priorities. Exercising leadership and supervising personnel assigned to the unit. Maximizing the creativity and productivity of the unit. Hiring personnel and managing the human, fiscal and physical resources assigned to the unit. Serving as the Unit fundholder. Providing technical information and consultation both internal and external to Agricultural Research Service. Ensuring the proper interpretation and reporting of scientific research results.

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.
• 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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• As a category 1 scientist, you are required to serve a 3-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 Qualification Requirements for Animal Science Series, 0487: A. Degree: animal science, dairy science, poultry science; or a related discipline or field of animal science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, and 20 semester hours in animal science. For animal scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in courses dealing with the breeding, feeding, production, and management of livestock, and the care and preparation of their products. For dairy scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in dairy science. For poultry scientist positions, at least 10 of the required 20 semester hours in animal science must have been in poultry science. OR B. Combination of education and experience: course equivalent to a major in the basic biological and agricultural sciences, including a minimum of 20 semester hours in appropriate animal science subjects, as described in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Basic Qualification Requirements for Physiology Series, 0413: Degree: in one of the basic animal sciences or physiology; or a related discipline or field of science that included at least 24 semester hours in the basic animal sciences, of which 10 semester hours were in animal physiology. Additional Requirements: Applicants must meet the basic requirements for one of the series shown above as well as the specialized experience requirements shown below to qualify for the GS-14 or GS-15 grade levels. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. GS-14: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal Service. Planning and conducting independent research related to the development of sustainable methods to optimize animal welfare; AND Publishing related research results as primary author in peer-reviewed scientific journals; AND Being invited to present research findings at scientific conferences, either in person or virtually; AND Managing human, fiscal and physical resources to accomplish research goals; AND Working with stakeholders to enhance research efforts and/or successfully obtaining external funding to expand existing programs. GS-15: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal Service. Leading a multidisciplinary team conducting research related to the development of sustainable methods to optimize animal welfare; AND Publishing related research results as primary author in peer-reviewed scientific journals; AND Being invited to present research findings at scientific conferences, either in person or virtually; AND Managing human, fiscal, and physical resources to accomplish research goals; AND Transferring one or more developed animal welfare technologies or concepts to production; AND Working with stakeholders to enhance research efforts and/or successfully obtaining external funding to expand existing programs. 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. Supervisory/Managerial Competencies - the following KSAs will also be used to evaluate candidates in the interview and selection process. Ability to lead and accomplish work through others (i.e., team building, conflict management, cultural awareness, strategic thinking, technology management and political savvy.) Ability to communicate with individuals or groups from diverse backgrounds in a variety of situations. 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 5601 Sunnyside Ave Beltsville, MD 20705 US
• Name: Elsa Ayala
• Phone: 202-819-4681
• Email: [email protected]