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Student Trainee (Animal Health Technician)

Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received. All applications received prior to midnight (11:59 ET) of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. If the application limit is not reached by the closing date of the announcement, all applications received during the open period will be considered. Any required documents must be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted past the day the application limit is reached, if applicable. If you choose to edit your application after it has been submitted, it will be removed from consideration until you re-submit your application. The date your application is last submitted will be used to determine whether you meet the cut-off criteria. 

This is a temporary Pathways Internship Program appointment not-to-exceed September 30, 2017 and may be extended based on program needs and if the student meets program requirements. The anticipated hours are full-time, Monday - Friday.

The Pathways Internship Program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and while getting paid for the work performed.  This appointment confers no promotion potential beyond the grade level at which the intern was selected. 

This position is located in Veterinary Services National Import Export Services. 

Incumbent serves as a Student Trainee (Animal Health Aide) responsible for the performance of nonprofessional duties in connection with one major animal disease control and/or eradication program such as brucellosis eradication, tuberculosis eradication, scabies eradication, poultry disease control and eradication, tick eradication, or screwworm eradication.

Students who successfully complete the program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent job in the civil service.   

Basic housing expenses along with travel to and from the official duty station during the summer will be paid.
 
APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/08/2017 to 05/12/2017
Salary
$21.07 to - $27.39 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 06
Location
San Francisco, CA
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
06
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
PATHIVS-APHIS-2017-0433
Control number
469266400

This job is open to

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Duties

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The duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Visits farms, garbage feeders, and others for the purpose of inspecting livestock to detect abnormal conditions which may indicate the presence of disease;
  • Collection and submission of larvae and/or egg specimens having the possibility of being screwworms for laboratory examination;
  • Testing, dipping, and spraying of livestock in connection with an eradication program; 
  • Collection and submission of ticks and mites for laboratory identification;
  • Inspecting facilities and methods used to insure that they conform to the regulations; 
  • Advising on proper sanitary procedures and assuring their application;
  • Issuing permits for the movement of livestock;
  • Supervising and performing the disinfection of premises and vehicles used in the transportation of diseased or exposed livestock and poultry.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Proof of student status must be submitted with the application.
  • All applicants must be in good academic standing.
  • Applicants must be at least 16 years old.

Special Conditions

  • If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty.  Proof of enrollment or acceptance for the upcoming academic term or semester will also be required unless graduating in the current semester.
  • Transcripts (official or unofficial) and proof of current enrollment must be included with our application.  See the "Required Documents" section for more information.
  • A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty.
  • Selection and retention in this position is contingent on a successfully completed adjudicated FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check) and a background investigation.
  • Schedule will be determined when student is selected: Hours of work will be between 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
  • Inspection and examination work requires regular and recurring prolonged standing, walking, stooping, bending, climbing, handling and restraint of animals.  
  • Work is performed under field conditions, with possible exposure to extreme heat and cold, diseases and contact with large, unruly animals capable of inflicting injury. 
  • Protective clothing and gear is required if working with animals infected with diseases which are communicable to humans and as part of biosecurity measures.
  • This Internship confers eligibility for a noncompetitive conversion to a permanent or term position in the competitive service contingent upon meeting all applicable Internship Program requirements and the needs of the agency. You will be considered for conversion to a permanent or term position upon the successful completion of your Internship. However, please note that eligibility for conversion does not guarantee the agency will opt for conversion.

Qualifications

ELIGIBILITY: Students who are currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. 

To qualify, you MUST meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

IN ADDITION to meeting eligibility requirements, you MUST meet the below qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

EDUCATION:

GS-6:  Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent)

Education

All academic degrees or course work must be completed in an educational institution that has obtained accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov/.

Additional information

  • More than one selection may be made if another vacancy occurs within 90 days of the issuance of the certification of eligibles.
  • Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
  • E-Verify: Federal law requires agencies to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. If you are selected as a newly hired employee, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS 'E-VERIFY' system. Under the system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
  • It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. See more information at: http://www.chcoc.gov/transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalID=6465

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  • Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. The following quality categories will be used: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
  • Your final category placement will be based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire.
  • If, after reviewing your resume and / or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can / will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you.

To view the application form, visit: https://aphis.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=25E62605-29AA-4BDE-8545-A769010B5CBD

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