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Agricultural Commodity Grader

Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service
Livestock and Poultry Program
This job announcement has closed

Summary

We will be collecting applications for this position at an on-site event. Please see "How to Apply".

The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/04/2019 to 04/10/2019
Salary
$34,436 to - $58,480 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Locations
Hudson, CO
1 vacancy
Cold Spring, MN
1 vacancy
Howard Lake, MN
1 vacancy
Croton, OH
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel for training and work may be required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent Graduates
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
8
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
RG-10461286-19-LP
Control number
529267600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent graduate who has, within the previous two years, completed a qualifying Associate's, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation have up to six years after degree completion to apply. Current students who will complete their degree by June 30, 2019, may also apply.

Duties

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  • The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Designated contact with plant management to coordinate the grading/inspection activities.
  • Examine product to determine adherence with contracts, such as grade, weight, packing and quantity.
  • Prepares and maintains a variety of reports related to production data and grading results.
  • Trains selected plant personnel to grade according to U.S. standards.
  • Grades different types of poultry and eggs, by applying official standards and regulations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
  • Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check
  • 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/
  • Selectee will be subject to a pre-employment medical statement and/or exam.
  • Prior to an official offer, selectee will be required to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) acknowledging/accepting that geographic mobility is a condition of employment. Failure to sign the MOU will result in withdrawal of the job offer.
  • The work environment is in a poultry or shell eggplant and involves moderate discomforts and risks such as the cold temperatures and freezer storage areas, the presence of processing equipment, moving carts and forklifts, and wet slippery floors.
  • Commodity grading work requires periods of physical exertion to lift and move boxes and cartons of product often weighing over 50 pounds; prolonged periods of standing, walking, stooping, bending, and climbing.
  • Successful completion of one-year trial period

Qualifications

To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

RECENT GRADUATES PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements;

Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years. or

Current students who will complete their degree by June 30, 2019 will be considered. or

Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE: Applicants must meet the following specialized experience and/or education requirements listed below:

FOR THE GS-05 LEVEL: Applicants must have three years of progressively responsible experience, one year of which was equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (equivalent to the GS-04 level) (experience may have been obtained in private or public sectors), that demonstrates the ability to:

  • Analyze problems, gather pertinent data and recognize solutions. Experience must provide evidence of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
  • General clerical experience (typing, filing, routine processing, or other non-specialized repetitive tasks) is not creditable.
OR Applicants must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study, from an accredited college or university, leading to a bachelor's degree.

FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 level) that demonstrates:
  • Experience gained in production, quality control, inspection (if such experience involves quality determination), research or receiving of agricultural commodities using an applicable grading standard. Experience may have been gained in chain stores, military, or manufacturing.
OR One full year of graduate level education in Agriculture, Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Business, Economics or a related field;

OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND must meet certain GPA requirements. For more details click: Superior Academic Achievement

This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-05/07 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. To learn more about combining education and experience for this series, click the following: Combining Education and Experience for Administrative and Management Positions

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.

Transcripts including the date your degree was conferred are required. Applications will not be considered without this documentation. For those graduating this semester by June 30, 2019 you will have to provide proof of conferment prior to entrance on duty.

Additional information

  • Recent Graduate appointments are intended to last for 1 year. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the USDA Recent Graduates Program requirements may be non-competitively converted to a Term or Permanent appointment in the competitive service. Conversion is not guaranteed. Recent Graduates converted to Term appointments may later be non-competitively converted to a Permanent competitive service position.
  • If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty.
  • 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.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.
  • Selection will be at GS-1980-05 or GS-1980-07 with the possibility of conversion to a term or permanent Agricultural Commodity Grader (Poultry), GS-1980-05 or GS-1980-07 with promotion potential to the GS-08 level. Conversion eligibility and position is not guaranteed and depends upon the program unit's needs.

How you will be evaluated

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

Before you submit an application for this vacancy, please carefully review the position requirements. Please apply only if you meet the required minimum qualifications AND Recent Graduates program eligibility requirements described in the announcement. Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you have reviewed the announcement and believe that you meet both the minimum qualifications and the program requirements, you should document your experience and education in your resume. Since traditional resumes do not always provide all the information needed to determine your status, you should create a more detailed resume to use when applying to Federal positions. Your resume should include:

  • Type of degree and date it was received or is expected to be received
  • Statement of U.S. citizenship
  • Job announcement number
  • Work and/or volunteer experience including employment dates, hours worked per week, salary and supervisor information
  • References
  • Please ensure that your resume contains your full name, permanent address, contact phone number and email address.
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements of the Recent Graduates program and the basic qualification requirements established for the position may be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Qualified applicants with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference.

Note: 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.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10461286

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