VACANCY INFORMATION: Lubbock, TX Establishment: M1429, Plains Meat Co LTD, located in Lubbock County Activity: Slaughter/Processing Species: Multiple For additional information, please contact Suzette Woerner @ 972-861-7661 Salary Range:GS-13: $103,409 to $134,435

Duties

Participate with the District Manager and Deputy District Managers in the formulation of operational policies, procedures and programs including long-range goals and priorities for program activities within the assigned area. On an on-going basis, determine the adequacy and accessibility of resources and information to enable subordinates to function together as part of a cohesive food safety team. Adjust work activities and schedules based on changing priorities. Oversee and coordinate review, implementation, and ongoing assessment of inspection and enforcement activities at meat, poultry, and egg products establishments in a defined geographic area. Identify public health or food safety issues, and direct activities of front line personnel to conduct inquiries or assessments, document findings, and take or recommend appropriate action. Supervise and coordinate the work activities of individuals or cross-functional teams of FSIS Food Inspectors, Consumer Safety Inspectors, Veterinary Medical Officers, and Consumer Safety Officers in an assigned area. Manage the workforce, conduct performance reviews, develop and mentor your team members, and address employee and labor relations issues. Provide leadership to employees relative to long and short-term tasks, duties and responsibilities. Utilize Agency information systems, reports, and analytical tools to oversee plants compliance with HACCP and other regulatory requirements, and to ensure that inspection resources are appropriately focused on food safety priorities. Ensure proper implementation and maintenance of Agency sampling initiatives within your assigned area of responsibility. You will also review and render decisions on plant management appeals of in-plant level decisions and actions.

Requirements

• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of one year probationary or trial period.
• 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.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Federal law requires the use of E-VERIFY to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
• Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Failure to successfully meet these requirements could lead to adverse action proceedings including possible termination.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.

Qualifications

This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in either of the job series/position titles listed. In addition to the specialized experience requirements, applicants must submit proof that they meet the educational requirements for at least one of the series described in the announcement. Applicants may only be appointed to job series/position titles for which they meet all experience and educational requirements. Please Note: The Consumer Safety Officer Educational Qualifications letter and worksheets previously issued to FSIS employees does not meet the requirement to submit copies of transcripts for this announcement. USDA Policy is to require copies of transcripts from all applicants for positions with a positive educational requirement. USDA Policy supersedes previous FSIS policy in this regard; please submit copies of your transcripts for either series you are applying for. You may include the FSIS letter or worksheet with copies of your transcripts to assist in highlighting your qualifying coursework. 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: Applicants must meet one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-12 grade level for consideration at the GS-13 grade level.) Specialized experience for the GS-0696 series: Your 52 weeks of specialized experience must demonstrate your ability to perform, plan or manage complex food safety activities. Qualifying experience typically includes compliance work related to processed products inspection or the supervision of processed product inspection involving enforcing laws and regulations to protect consumers from food products that are defective, dangerous, impure, unwholesome, or improperly or deceptively labeled or packaged. Applicants must also meet the basic education requirements. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: GS-0696 Series (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0600/consumer-safety-series-0696/) Specialized experience for the GS-0701 series: Your 52 weeks of specialized experience must demonstrate the ability to perform, plan or manage complex veterinary medical activities. Applicants applying to the GS-0701 series can use the following types of education in-lieu of specialized experience: A Ph.D. degree in specialties or related sciences (e.g. 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 sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. etc.). Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position. Successful completion of all requirements for Diplomate status in an ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty organization. For a full listing of all specialties please view the OPM 0701 qualification standards. Applicants must also meet the basic education requirements. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: GS-0701 Series (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0700/veterinary-medical-science-series-0701/) 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, knowledge, and skills 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

In order to meet the basic educational requirements for the GS-0696 series, applicants must have:

1. A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provided knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work.
2. The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that included the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming.

OR

1. Combination of education and experience--courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In order to meet the basic educational requirements for the GS-0701, applicants must have completed a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree 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 website 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 must meet the following requirements: click here

1. Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) (Completion of ECFVG program).
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).

Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college, or university, visit Dept of Education Accredited Schools. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit NACES. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

Note: Copies of transcripts are required for this announcement; the CSO letters and worksheets previously issued to FSIS employees that documented meeting CSO educational requirements is not sufficient alone to document education; USDA policy requires copies of transcripts for this position.

Contacts

• Address Food Safety and Inspection Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Nathan Brezina
• Phone: 612-852-7672
• Email: [email protected]