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Animal Health Technician (Animal Identification Coordinator)

Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Summary

If selected as an Animal Identification Coordinator, you will be assigned to Veterinary Services, Field Operations and will be responsible for identifying the herd of origin through the use of the animal identification program within an assigned geographic territory.

One vacancy is available in either Colorado or Wyoming. Additionally, there is one vacancy available in each of the other states listed in the announcement.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
17 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$55,882 - $85,608 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DE-13028730-26-VSH
Control number
879239400

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:
  • Gather information from the various individuals and organizations that owned or handled the animals prior to their being identified as a reactors.
  • Trace the movement of the animals back to the herd of origin.
  • Review data to determine program effectiveness, to identify problem areas, and to detect trends or developments.
  • Standardize the program, initiate measures to reach established program goals, and monitor all activities in support of the animal identification program.
  • Explain to affected parties the requirements of the animal identification program and enlist their voluntary compliance through a better understanding of the program requirements.
  • Observes/monitors contract or fee basis personnel to assure that they are performing work as agreed to in the contract or fee basis agreements.
  • Periodically reviews inventory of supplies and equipment used in the animal identification programs to ensure sufficient inventory for effective program operation.

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.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
  • 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/
  • Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
  • All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
  • May be required to obtain and maintain an Official Government Passport for work outside the United States.

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.

FOR THE GS-08 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

  • Gathers information from individuals or organizations that owned or handled animals prior to the animals being identified as a reactor and traces the movement of the animals back to the herd of origin using the animal identification program.
  • Reviews inventory of supplies and equipment used in animal identification programs to ensure sufficient inventory for effective program operations.
  • Monitors all activities in support of the animal identification program (i.e., ear tags, vaccination tags, bangle tags, reactor tags, back tags, etc.).
  • Works with officials and employees in the livestock industry, other Federal Agencies, State diagnostic laboratories and other interested persons to explain the requirements of the animal identification program.
  • Reviews forms, health certificates, herd record and laboratory reports from Food Safety and Inspection Service or contractors for completeness and accuracy of program identification procedures.
OR Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two years of progressively higher level graduate level education leading to such a degree obtained from an accredited college or university. Qualifying graduate courses include: agribusiness, agricultural chemistry, agricultural development, agricultural economics, agricultural education, animal breeding, animal genetics, animal health, animal nutrition, animal physiology, animal products, animal reproduction, animal science, animal toxicology, animal welfare, biological and agricultural engineering, beef cattle production, dairy herd management, dairy marketing, equine production, farm management, feeding management, meat science, physiology of lactation, poultry science, ruminant nutrition, swine production, and wildlife and fisheries sciences.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:
  • You are qualifying for the position based on education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
  • This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-08 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

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 (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.
  • 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.
  • Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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 email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
  • This position involves Mobile Work: Mobile work is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite. Examples of mobile work include site audits, site inspections, investigations, property management, and work performed while commuting, traveling between worksites, or on Temporary Duty (TDY).
  • There is a high risk potential for exposure to unsafe working conditions and disease causing agents, some of which are highly contagious, infectious, and communicable to humans. Special safety control coordination, bio-security, and bio-safety precautions must be exercised and followed at appropriate times.
  • Travel and work both in and outside of the United States in the performance of assigned duties is essential.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

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 competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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/13028730

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team!

To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site.

APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response

Agency contact information

MRP Human Resources
Phone
612-336-3227
Email
MRP.Application.Help@usda.gov
Address
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
USDA APHIS MRPBS
250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410
Minneapolis, MN 55401
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/banner/careers

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