Clarification from the agency

This Merit Promotion position is open to Current Federal Employees and Former Federal Employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA, 30% disabled).

The Entomologist is responsible for planning, establishing, implementing Applied Entomology and integrated pest management (IPM) to all animal and non-animal areas at NZP and Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal Virginia.

In this position, you will:

• Analyze environmental conditions to identify and address factors that may contribute to insect and rodent infestations.
• Assess the feasibility and necessity of using control measures such as parasites, predators, pathogens, or chemical, cultural, biological, or other methods.
• Determines needs and schedules, and implements surveys, observations, and monitoring of grounds and facilities to evaluate key pests and environmental factors.
• Maintain communication with federal and state agencies to ensure coordinated efforts in controlling entomological and biological issues.
• Serves as the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for the pest control contract and ensuring contractors are in full compliance with contractual requirements.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

• The incumbent must have or obtain state certification as a qualified Pesticide Applicator in the appropriate categories and subcategories.
• The incumbent may be required to work late shifts, weekends, and holidays, and may be called in for NZCBI emergencies
• A valid driver's license is required to operate a government vehicle while performing assigned NZCBI duties.

Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

A. Degree: Entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology.

or

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as experience managing integrated pest management (IPM) services across commercial and institutional environments—such as zoos, educational institutions, research laboratories, food service operations, restaurants, animal care facilities, and support areas like animal commissaries and workplace settings.

or

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

or

3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above.  The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

1. Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of urban and structural integrated pest management to implement complex pest management solutions concurrently to environmentally sensitive lab spaces, animal exhibits and food handling facilities.
2. Skill in applying the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of entomology.
3. Skill in written communications.
4. Skill in oral communications in developing and maintaining effective working relationships.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

• Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
• Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• People with Disabilities

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.