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Student Trainee (Veterinary Medical Science)

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: Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Factsheet.

Consider also applying to announcement PX-11370545-22-VSH if you are interested in the GS-04/05 grade levels.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
02/10/2022 to 02/24/2022
Salary
$21.44 to - $41.88 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Many vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PX-11370564-22-VSH
Control number
634844600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Students who have been accepted for enrollment or who are enrolled at least half-time in an accredited high school, college, professional, technical, vocational, or trade school pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate.

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:
  • 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.
  • Observing and/or performing testing and identification activities for programs designed to manage disease in various livestock commodities such as cattle, swine, and cervids.
  • Drawing blood samples for laboratory testing and brands reactor animals.
  • Conducting elementary statistical, quantitative, or qualitative analysis.
  • Assisting veterinarians and laboratory support personnel in a variety of routine duties relative to animal disease control and eradication.
  • Attaching numbered tags to tested animals ears and recording 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.
  • Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Must be in good academic standing as defined by their academic institution.
  • Complete at least 640 hours of work experience prior to completion of degree.
  • Enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution.
  • 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.
  • Proof of enrollment/acceptance for the fall 2022 semester will be required if selected.
  • The work is principally sedentary though there may be some walking or bending involved. The work is performed while sitting for long periods of time while using a computer.
  • Occasional field work requires walking, bending, crouching and climbing for prolonged periods in rough terrain subject to a variety of weather conditions.
  • The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions. The work may require wearing personal protective equipment when working alongside inspectors at facilities.
  • Travel occurs on an occasional basis and visits to remote locations or isolated rural areas may be required where you may be subject to regular and recurring risks associated with working around animals.

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.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR:

  1. Students must be actively applying to or enrolled in a degree seeking doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) program; OR
  2. Students must be in their final year of a master's program in a field of study related to veterinary medicine (i.e. pursuit of a master's in preveterinary, biomedical science, veterinary medicine, animal science, public health, or a closely related field of study 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 upcoming academic term or semester.


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.

Applicants can qualify by meeting the EDUCATION requirements specified below.

EDUCATION:
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 all requirements for a master's degree or equivalent degree.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Internship eligibility criteria

Education

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

  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 must meet one of the following requirements: a) Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG); b) 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); OR c) 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. An AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college must have accepted the 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). In addition, 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: a) 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. b) 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 c) 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.

What Does the Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Internship Program 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 of degree, training, and other work requirements.

Please access our fact-sheet by clicking: Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Factsheet.

General questions related to the Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Internship Program can be directed to the Veterinary Services People Operations Staff at: VS.Recruitment.Pathways@usda.gov

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

Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Housing and travel expenses will not be paid.

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, GS-0701-11/12/13; however, in most cases, conversion will be at the GS-11 grade level.

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.

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.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an e-mail invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading
  • Research
  • Self-Management
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

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. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

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. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11370564

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