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As a Plant Protection Technician, you implement domestic programs within an assigned geographic area to prevent the establishment and/or artificial spread of plant pests and diseases into new areas. If selected, you provide support to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Officers with surveys; control measures; biocontrol and biotechnology activities; and export of regulated agricultural commodities within PPQ Field Operations (FO).


The duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Participates with supervisor in planning and coordinating survey/control measures by furnishing information about the presence and extent of plant diseases and/or insects, and effect of treatments.
  • Directs and/or conducts approved control and eradication measures including sanitation measures, biological controls, and the application of herbicides, insecticides, nematicide, and fungicides.
  • Enforces Federal and/or State regulatory orders to restrict movement or issue certificates permitting movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas.
  • Assists with inspections of routine commodities for export.
  • Maintains daily records of inspection work, control measures and regulatory procedures applied; prepares reports and maps on the activities and accomplishments within the assigned area.

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.

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-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

  • Applying principles of biological science to analyze and take action to prevent the establishment and/or artificial spread of plant pest.
  • Enforcing plant quarantines and regulatory orders which restrict movement of plant, plant products and equipment into or out of regulated areas.
  • Identifying plant pests or diseases in all of their life stages and properly handling and applying restricted use chemicals.
  • Addressing public concerns regarding pest control and eradication procedures.

OR Successful completion of 1 year of graduate education (18 semester hours) in a field of study directly related to the position including courses such as biology, plant pathology, entomology, zoology, botany, forestry, chemistry, agriculture, or physics.

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-07 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.

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:

 

  • Botany
  • Cartography
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Entomology
  • Pest Control
  • Spatial Orientation



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.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12363539