This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/516221300. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Plant Science Research Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina is seeking a permanent, full-time Research Plant Physiologist to formulate and conduct personal and team research to identify and characterize processes that regulate root structure and function, and the interaction of soil microbes with root systems.
Learn more about this agency11/07/2018 to 11/21/2018
$76,015 - $98,819 per year
GS 12
1 vacancy in the following location:
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - Domestic and International travel is required to attend scientific meetings and conferences. Local travel to field sites is also required.
Yes—Relocation expenses may be authorized and will determined at time of offer.
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
15
No
No
ARS-D19SEA-0003
516221300
The overall objectives of the incumbent’s research are to define the functional dynamics (temporal and spatial) of plant root systems to broaden the knowledge base needed to identify management practices and plant breeding targets that will lead to greater efficiency in acquisition of water and nutrients, increased duration of active plant growth, and greater stress tolerance of crop plants.
Major duties include, but are not limited to:
• Characterizing genetic variation in root system structure and function;
• Quantifying the effects of environmental stress on root systems;
• Identifying plant factors that determine the composition of microbial communities associated with plant roots;
• Evaluating plant root characteristics and soil microbe interactions through measurements of whole plant performance (root architecture, growth, yield, and product quality) and through germplasm screening using phenotyping (high resolution root scanning) and molecular (proteomics, gene expression, and microbial DNA fingerprinting) approaches;
• Developing collaborations with other physiologists, molecular geneticists, and plant breeders;
• Working with plant breeders to evaluate root characteristics needed for commercial production;
• Publishing research results in peer reviewed journals.
The incumbent will be required to travel to local field sites; therefore, a valid driver’s license is required.
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: Federal employees are subject to prohibitions against officially dealing with outside organizations in which they have a financial interest. If hired for this position, you may be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of the effective date of your appointment and annually thereafter.
To be considered for a research scientist position, you must submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Also, 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 meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.
Your education and experience will be evaluated against all qualification requirements (basic and any additional requirements) listed below.
Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
Basic Requirements:
Degree: botany or plant physiology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 10 semester hours in plant physiology.
Additional Requirements:
GS-12: Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree directly related to the duties of the position (i.e. plant physiology or plant biology) OR 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service OR a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience.
The specialized experience requirements for this position at the GS-12 level are:
* Conducting research on plant root systems;
* Applying molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and 2-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis to plant root systems; and
* Publishing research results in peer-reviewed journals related to plant physiology.
Applicants must address the specialized experience requirements in their resume (or application documents). Applications that do not reflect the specialized experience requirements will not be deemed qualified.
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.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here:
http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-admin.asp
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Applicants with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
To begin, click "Apply Online" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.
NOTE: You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g., all SF-50s) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents may not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.
Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/516221300. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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