This position is located in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Field Organization, Plains Area (PA), Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research Unit located in Manhattan, KS. In this position, you will provide professional support on projects and experiments designed to enhance regional wheat breeding programs using genomic approaches with an emphasis on developing high-throughput DNA marker and other genomic technologies and deploying these technologies in breeding programs.

Duties

Uses computer and appropriate software such as Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint, etc to summarize and document research data. Conducts overall laboratory management including using and maintaining all standard equipment (balances, pH meters, gel documentation system, centrifuges, electrophoresis apparatus, PCR thermal cyclers, autoclaves, sequencers etc.). Develops wheat populations and identifies resistance wheat gene for different traits of regional interest. Participates in gene discovery, marker development and application, and assisting selection of wheat germplasm and cultivars using modern genomic tools. Investigates genetic basis of novel genes conferring resistance to different diseases and insects in wheat in greenhouses and fields. Provides input into the feasibility of experiments, the protocols/procedures to be used, the scheduling of experiments, possible problems, and possible impact of findings. Serves as a resource for other technical support personnel (students, visiting scientists, post-docs and LA employees) assigned to project(s).

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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.

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. Basic Requirement: Degree: genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics. Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as 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. AND In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting laboratory management to maintain standard equipment; analyzing DNA sequences of wheat to obtain pertinent information; and preparing PCR and analyzes marker data using various software. OR Education: Successful completion of three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Plant Pathology, Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Biology, or related fields. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. 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 2150 Centre Avenue Building D, Suite 300 Fort Collins, CO 80526 US
• Name: Jared Foret
• Phone: 7032599390
• Email: Jared.Foret@usda.gov