The incumbent is a member of the Senior Science and Technology Service (SSTS) and serves as a scientist and Director of the Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center in the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) located in Stoneville, MS. The research represents various scientific disciplines aiming to increase efficiency to produce and process agricultural products and sustain the critical natural resource base that benefit farmers and consumers and the ecosystem upon which they depend.
Summary
The incumbent is a member of the Senior Science and Technology Service (SSTS) and serves as a scientist and Director of the Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center in the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) located in Stoneville, MS. The research represents various scientific disciplines aiming to increase efficiency to produce and process agricultural products and sustain the critical natural resource base that benefit farmers and consumers and the ecosystem upon which they depend.
Actively serves in a leadership role for research program planning and implementing the overall research missions, goals, and policies in the Southeast Area, primarily responsible for these activities at JWDSRC.
Keeps the Area Director fully informed of the units’ programs and related considerations having a significant bearing on the development of research priorities and projections, budgets, and use of facilities based on the needs of JWDSRC.
Provides leadership in developing and coordinating research program financial projections. Evaluates and consolidates budgetary requests to meet program objectives within the existing resources.
Provides leadership, direction and approach to identify research needs of stakeholders and reviews research plans for Research Leaders. Forecasts the resources required and projections of time required to make advances that impact research.
Leads and targets the science mission and direction of Research Leaders in the JWDSRC and evaluates the effectiveness of program operations.
Provides leadership to foster and develop cooperative relationships to increase the effectiveness of scientific programs and explores partnerships.
Has responsibility for ensuring the quality of all Research Project proposals and their preparation for external review coordinated by the OSQR.
Has responsibility for administrative oversight for institutional biosafety and animal use and care programs.
Provides the Area Director and other officials with advice on highly technical problems in transdisciplinary programs conducted at JWDSRC.
Supports the Agency programs concerning human care and use of all vertebrate animals.
Proactively partners and communicates with all local, regional, and national stakeholders to identify stakeholder needs and improve stakeholder support.
Veterans Preference is applicable in the Senior Science and Technology Service.
Initial appointments are required to serve a 1-year probationary period
You must submit written statements in response to the SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation Form.
Background Investigation required.
U.S. Citizenship, nationals of those who owe allegiance to the US is required.
Qualifications
- Have conducted outstanding research in the fields of animal or plant science, as determined by a Qualifications Assessment Board;
- Have earned a doctoral level degree at an institution of higher education [as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 u.s.c. 1001)];
- Have national or international recognition authority and leadership in an area of widespread scientific interest and investigation; and
- Meet the qualification standards prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management for appointment to a position at the GS-15 level of the General Schedule.
Education
For 0401- 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 in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Additional information
Consideration for competitive selection for this position is open to all persons within the area of consideration who meet the basic qualifications. Race, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, marital or family status, disability, and other non-merit factors will not be considered.
1. This position is covered under the post-employment restriction of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). This law also requires the selectee to file an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (Standard Form 278), within 30 days of appointment.
2. Applications sent in U.S. Government postage-paid envelope and submitted through Federal Agency courier services will not be considered.
3. The 1993 Hatch Act Reform Amendments prohibit oral and written political recommendations for Federal jobs.
4. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System before they can be employed by an executive agency of the Federal government. This requirement does not apply to Agency employees appointed before November 8, 1985.
5. All application forms are subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and become the property of USDA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Reasonable Accommodation: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency at 202-260-8128. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
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.
Evaluation Method: Applicants must meet the qualification requirements as outlined above to be eligible for further consideration and must submit written statements in response to SSTS criteria listed below (also referred to as the SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation) detailing evidence of the experience, knowledge, skill, ability, and other personal characteristic requirements and show how and when they were used. This evidence must include clear, concise examples that show level of accomplishments and degree of responsibility. Qualification determinations will be based on the information supplied by the applicant.
Senior Science and Technology Service Professional Recognition Documentation Form
Name of Applicant: _______ Date: __ _
Criterion 1: List and describe personal honors and awards received from major national or international organizations for accomplishments; publications in prestigious journals (e.g.; Science, Nature, PNAS); and significant impacts on critical areas of agricultural research through basic and/or applied research, and related technology transfer.
Criterion 2: List recent instances in which you have been sought out as an advisor and consultant on scientific and technological programs or problems, reflecting either personal accomplishments or research leadership of the programs you oversee.
Criterion 3: List evidence of how your personal stature and recognition, and/or scientific leadership, has attracted visiting scientist, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and applications for scientific positions in the programs you oversee.
Criterion 4: Describe how your research and/or leadership accomplishments have impacted multidisciplinary research programs, policy, practices, or funding in the public or private sectors.
Criterion 5: Provides examples where your ability to lead people and manage financial and information resources (technology and data) have contributed to the impact of your scientific and/or technological accomplishments.
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.
Education (if applicable): A copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarter or semester), and grade (if applicable). If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
Your resume should contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. It is recommended that you include the following information:
Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
Duties and accomplishments
Employers name and address
Supervisors name and phone number
Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
Salary
Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments.
Written statements in response to the SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation Form.
YOU MUST UPLOAD YOUR RESPONSES TO THE SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation Form.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin. Failure to submit the required documentation by 11:59 pm EST of the closing date will result in loss of consideration. The following instructions outline our application process.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon 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 us if you are requesting this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading 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. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Candidates who do not submit complete application packages as indicated in this announcement will not be considered. Please be sure to remove all PII (e.g. SSN, DOB, etc.) from all documentation. Spell out Acronyms the first time used.
Applicants who cannot apply on-line may mail their applications (must be postmarked prior to the close date) or fax your application before the close date to the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement.
Agricultural Research Service
141 Experimental Station Road
Stoneville, MS 38776
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the SSTS requirements and the position's criteria will be considered qualified for this position. Rating and ranking to determine the best qualified will be conducted by a panel of senior employees and will be based upon consideration of the degree to which applicants meet the mandatory requirements as described in the announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Education (if applicable): A copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarter or semester), and grade (if applicable). If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
Your resume should contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. It is recommended that you include the following information:
Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
Duties and accomplishments
Employers name and address
Supervisors name and phone number
Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
Salary
Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments.
Written statements in response to the SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation Form.
YOU MUST UPLOAD YOUR RESPONSES TO THE SSTS Professional Recognition Documentation Form.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin. Failure to submit the required documentation by 11:59 pm EST of the closing date will result in loss of consideration. The following instructions outline our application process.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon 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 us if you are requesting this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading 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. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Candidates who do not submit complete application packages as indicated in this announcement will not be considered. Please be sure to remove all PII (e.g. SSN, DOB, etc.) from all documentation. Spell out Acronyms the first time used.
Applicants who cannot apply on-line may mail their applications (must be postmarked prior to the close date) or fax your application before the close date to the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement.
Agricultural Research Service
141 Experimental Station Road
Stoneville, MS 38776
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the SSTS requirements and the position's criteria will be considered qualified for this position. Rating and ranking to determine the best qualified will be conducted by a panel of senior employees and will be based upon consideration of the degree to which applicants meet the mandatory requirements as described in the announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
