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Student Trainee (Veterinary)

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

Summary

If you are interested in an exciting and rewarding career that has an impact on the health of animal agriculture, consider the USDA Pathways Internship Program - Veterinary Services Saul T. Wilson Jr., Internship. Students interested in the Internship should click on the following link for more information: Wilson Factsheet

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/30/2020 to 04/10/2020
Salary
$20.72 to - $32.95 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PX-10754959-20-VS
Control number
563979700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

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.

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.
  • Work assignments are tailored to the background of the individual employee, in accordance with classification provisions for student trainee positions. The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Support of program management and/or animal health information systems, including information gathering and data collection; data verification, tracking, coding, and entry; and document review and literature searches.
  • Observes and/or performs testing and identification activities for programs designed to manage disease in various livestock commodities such as cattle, swine, and cervids.
  • Draws blood samples for laboratory testing and brands reactor animals.
  • Conducts elementary statistical, quantitative, or qualitative analysis.
  • Assists veterinarians and laboratory support personnel assisting in a variety of routine duties relative to animal disease control and eradication.
  • Attaches numbered tags to tested animals ears and records tag numbers and animal descriptions on blood test record forms.

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
  • Must be in good academic standing as defined by their academic institution and enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution.
  • Complete at least 640 hours of work experience at the discretion of the Agency. The work requirements must be completed prior to, or concurrent with, the completion of Saul T. Wilson Jr., Internship educational requirements.
  • If selected for the Saul T. Wilson Jr., Internship program, students must be enrolled for the fall 2020-2021 academic year on a full-time basis.
  • A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways
  • Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check
  • Successful completion of two-year trial period
  • 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/
  • Must be available to work a regular schedule when classes are in session as well as during scheduled breaks.
  • Transcripts (official or unofficial) and proof of current enrollment must be included with our application. See the "Required Documents" section for more information.
  • As applicable, applicants are required to submit proof of acceptance to veterinary school by the closing date of this announcement. See the "Required Documents" section for more information.
  • Pre-employment drug testing may be a required. There is a requirement for diagnostic tests and vaccinations in order to gain access to the NVSL/CVB facilities.
  • Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

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.

In addition the following Selective Placement Factor (SPF) requirement is being used to determine whether an applicant fully qualifies for this position. Therefore, it is MANDATORY that all applicants meet this requirement in order to receive further consideration for this job vacancy. Applicants are required to submit all transcripts and proof of enrollment to support the selective placement factor. Applicants who fail to meet the selective placement factor may lose further consideration.

SELECTIVE FACTOR:
Students must be actively applying to or enrolled in a degree seeking doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) program
OR
Students must be in their final year of a master's program in a field of study related to veterinary medicine (Ex. Pursuit of a master's in public health with the intention of continuing on to a veterinary school). Student MUST show proof of being enrolled or seeking enrollment in a degree seeking doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) graduate program for the 2020-2021 fall semester.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

GS-7: Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) or eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement provision; 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.

GS-9: Completion of 2 academic years of graduate level education, or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
Current DVM student applicants must have completed not more than 1 full academic year of study in veterinary medicine.

Education

Upon graduation, you must meet the following education requirement to be eligible for conversion to a position in the Veterinary Medical Sceince, 0701 series:

Degree:

  1. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) 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 web site, http://www.avma.org (external link), has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools.

    or

  2. Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education (Refer to AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org (external link)for information about schools in this category) must meet one of the following requirements.
    • Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
    • 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).
    • 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).

    Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide proof of proficiency in the English language by successfully completing one of the nationally and internationally recognized examinations that incorporate assessments of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Examples of examinations that assess mastery of the English language are shown below:

    • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Minimum scores for the TOEFL are 560 for the paper-based version; 220 for the computer-based version; or overall score of 83 for the internet-based version (including 26 or higher in speaking, 26 or higher in listening, and 17 or higher in writing). For the computer-based and paper-based test versions, applicants must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Minimum required scores are 55 for the TSE and 5.5 for the TWE;
    • Academic tests (listening, writing, and speaking) offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with at least 7.0 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, and 6.0 in writing;

      or

    • Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 70, with at least 60 in speaking, 60 in listening, and 50 in writing.

Additional information

What Does the Saul T. Wilson Jr., Internship offer you?
Employment While Attending School: A minimum of 640 hours of paid employment during the course of your Internship for Pathways work requirements. The work requirements must be completed prior to, or concurrent with, the completion of Saul T. Wilson Jr., Internship educational requirements to be considered for possible conversion, without further competition, to a permanent appointment with APHIS upon successful completion with a D.V.M. degree, training, and other work requirement(s).

While enrolled in school, you can complete your work requirements during the summer months and vacation periods.

Your Pathways duty station will be determined by the agency, and will be based on where you reside during the summer months and school breaks. Your schedule during the academic year is negotiable. During school breaks and summers, travel to and from the official duty station, and housing expenses, will be at the student's expense. Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Selection(s) are anticipated by July 2020. After agreeing to the conditions of the internship by signing all applicable agreements, the student selected will begin receiving tuition benefits at the start of the fall semester.

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. The target position for this internship is veterinary Medical Officer, 0701 series.

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.

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.

Student Interns must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of the appointment. Incumbents will be required to provide proof of continued enrollment and good standing each semester or grading period throughout the internship program. Failure to do so will result in termination of the appointment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

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.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. 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/10754959

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