This position is located with D.K.I. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Tropical Plant Genetic Resources & Disease Research Unit in Hilo, HI. The incumbent will serve as the Support Scientist at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Sub-Tropical, and Tropical Fruit, Nuts and Beverage Crops.

Duties

Serves as curator for genetic resources managed by the Pacific Tropical/Subtropical Fruit and Nut Genetic Resource Management and Sustainable Production Systems Research Project. Based on experimental evidence and professional judgment, determines germplasm accessions to be added or eliminated from collections. Coordinates with ARS colleagues in National Plant Germplasm System to have collections backed up at other locations and back up their core collections at the Hilo gene bank. Plans and executes long-range goals and is an integral part of the ARS National Program 301, Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement.

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/

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 Qualifications SERIES-GS-0437 Degree: horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post-harvest handling of horticultural crops. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture, and similar courses may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in basic plant sciences. The 16-semester-hour requirement in horticulture includes course work in basic horticulture and course work related to any of the recognized subject-matter fields of horticulture, i.e., fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, nursery work, seed production, or course work in related areas of science, such as micro-biology, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, or genetics that is directly related to horticultural work. AND Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and which provided the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. GS-11: Experience:The qualification requirements for this position at the GS-11 grade level includes one-year specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or its non-federal equivalent, preserving and propagating clonal and seed propagated tropical/subtropical fruit and related species collections and keeping up to date with scientific literature pertaining to the genetic diversity, preservation, genetic characterization, and evaluation. OR Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR Combination of Education & Experience GS12 Experience: The qualification requirements for this position at the GS-12 grade level includes one-year specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or its non-federal equivalent, experience with the maintenance, evaluation, characterization, and distribution of germplasm; assisting with proposals to acquire support for national germplasm collection and making presentations on crops, developments, and activities to grower, civic, and industry groups. Physical Demands: The majority of the work is in the office. Some activity requires moving and lifting boxes, large trays, and carts of seed weighing up to 50 pounds with appropriate support. Storage area is maintained at -18 °C where some work is done. Work with liquid nitrogen is also necessary. Travel to maintain professional contacts and develop strategies for seed germplasm conservation is also required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office, laboratories, walk-in freezers, cryotanks with liquid nitrogen, field sites, international settings and greenhouse situations that require safety precautions. Work in the laboratory requires wearing protective gear (clothing, masks, gloves, etc.). Recommended standard safety and health precautions are employed during all operations. 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 800 Buchanan Street Albany, CA 94710 US
• Name: Melissa Smith
• Phone: 510-559-6312
• Email: [email protected]