NIFA is a premier Federal partner in finding innovative and transformative solutions to critical food and agriculture problems across the nation. We are looking for science professionals to serve as National Program Leaders (NPL) and administer our research, education, and extension programs that address national agriculture priorities.
Summary
NIFA is a premier Federal partner in finding innovative and transformative solutions to critical food and agriculture problems across the nation. We are looking for science professionals to serve as National Program Leaders (NPL) and administer our research, education, and extension programs that address national agriculture priorities.
Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this vacancy.
Leads research, education, and extension programs in food and agricultural sciences including:
Plant production and protection, including agronomy, horticulture, entomology, plant pathology, IPM, weed science, and forestry.
Animal production and health, including aquaculture, livestock agriculture, and poultry science.
Food Science and Human nutrition, including food safety, food technology, and nutritional education.
Natural Resources and Environment.
Agricultural Engineering, including data science and biological engineering.
Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, including rural communities and development.
Agribusiness, including business administration, business development and economics.
Agricultural Education and Workforce Development, including role of Minority-serving institutions.
Sustainable agriculture.
Positive Youth Development and 4-H.
Biotechnology and its environmental and social implications.
Initiate, network and collaborate with partners and stakeholders to identify mission-relevant problems, opportunities and issues requiring Federal attention.
Conceive, formulate, and execute programs and activities to respond to existing or emerging problems, opportunities, priorities and issues for development.
Apply science-based knowledge to evaluate policy and develop and implement programs in collaboration with universities and other partners.
Evaluate and assess the quality, outcomes and impacts of these programs.
Promotes the research, education and extension portfolio to advance the strategic goals and management objectives of NIFA and the administration.
Actively engages in multi-Institute trans-disciplinary teams to address mission critical priorities.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
**NOTE** This position has recently been upgraded in position sensitivity. The new requirement will be a non-sensitive/high risk (Public Trust). All selections will be required to complete a Fair Credit report.
Qualifications
This Position is being filled through OPM's government-wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Your application will be evaluated for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience and/or education meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and other basic requirements will be referred and are eligible for selection.
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUCEMENTS**
This is an open continuous announcement and will be used to fill vacancies as openings occur.
To receive consideration for vacancies, applicants must submit complete application prior to the established cut-off date(s). An initial cut-off will take place 30 days from the opening date. Additional cut-off dates will be every 30 days subsequent from the first cut-off date.
Candidates for the position who submit a completed application by 11:59 PM Eastern Time 30 days from the opening date will be reviewed and referred if found eligible and qualified. This announcement will remain open until the closing date indicated in the announcement; however, those that apply after the cut-off date will be considered for referral to the hiring manager only if additional vacancies occur and/or the initial referral list is exhausted.
Applicants must recertify (i.e. update/resubmit their application through USA Jobs) every 30 days from the date of initial application/certification to continue to receive consideration for the position(s). Applicants who fail to do so will not be reviewed and referred and will be dropped from further consideration.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (by cut-off dates) of the announcement including specialized experience and education, as defined below. Transcripts are required with your application.
Basic Requirements To Qualify for the 0401 series: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position
OR
Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
*NOTE: You must provide a copy of your transcripts*
Basic Requirements To Qualify for the 0101 series: Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
Combination of education and experience: Must have provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
OR
Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
*NOTE: You must provide a copy of your transcripts*
AND
In addition to the basic requirement above, all applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:
At the GS-13 Level:
Qualifying experience for GS-13 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-12 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: experience coordinating and analyzing data for the development of policies to implement programs to enhance food and agriculture; collaborate with various stakeholders to gather information on the performance of agricultural research, extension, or education activities; and assisting in conducting program evaluations to improve the administration and efficacy of research, education, and extension programs.
At the GS-14 Level:
Qualifying experience for GS-14 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-13 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: experience developing and providing input and direction for regional or national food and agricultural science programs; participating in the development of policies to implement programs to enhance food and agriculture; leading workgroups with various stakeholders in the performance of agricultural research, extension, or education activities; and participating in conducting program evaluations to improve the administration and efficacy of research, education, and extension programs.
At the GS-15 Level:
Qualifying experience for GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-14 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: experience directing and leading regional or national food and agricultural sciences programs; formulating policies to implement programs to enhance food and agriculture ; providing policy direction and coordinating work with various stakeholders in the performance of agricultural research, extension, or education activities; and conducting program evaluations to improve the administration and efficacy of research, education, and extension programs.
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
See qualifications section for education requirements.
Additional information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified based on an evaluation of the following competencies: External Awareness, Interpersonal Skills, Planning and Evaluating, and Program Coordination.
To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job.
Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.
Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given a new appointment to the civil service.
This is a bargaining unit position.
**NOTE** This position has recently been upgraded in position sensitivity. The new requirement will be a non-sensitive/high risk (Public Trust). All selections will be required to complete a Fair Credit report.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. This is a Direct Hire Authority position. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veterans' preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.
Note: All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.
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" button to the right.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes:1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
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 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.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" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.
NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g. SF-50s or veteran docs) 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.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Next steps
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 to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes:1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
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 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.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" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.
NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g. SF-50s or veteran docs) 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.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Next steps
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 to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
