US Citizens and Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required. Permanent Full-Time Find Solutions to Agricultural Problems that Affect Americans Every Day, From Field to Table.
This position requires the selectee to undergo a pre-employment check and a full background investigation. Any offer made is considered a tentative job offer pending the outcome of the pre-employment check. Retention in the position is based upon a favorable adjudication of the background investigation. The incumbent will be subject to periodic reinvestigations.
Vacant research positions may be filled at one of several grade levels depending upon the scientific impact of the person selected. A peer review may be required to determine the appropriate grade level of the position and supplemental materials may be required from the selectee.
Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. *Final grade level may be determined by a peer review panel.
US Citizenship is required. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Successful completion of a three year probationary period Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation Insert other conditions of employment if applicable USCITIZEN SSR **Major Duties:**
Provides scientific leadership for all aspects of Unit research and maintains personal research project focused on improved bee production and management systems, management of diseases impacting bees, identification and classification of hymenoptera or determination of foraging and nutritional needs in non-_Apis_ bees.
Develops techniques to determine the effects of multiple biotic and abiotic factors on wild bee populations.
Develops effective management systems to maximize pollination in a number of important crops including but not limited to alfalfa and fruit and nut bearing trees.
Directly supervises research scientists, technicians, and administrative support; includes assigning duties, reviewing work, authorizing leave, and evaluating performance.
Utilizes communication skills and team building to manage the Unit's fiscal, physical, and human resources.
Develops and maintains productive interactions with a variety of research partners, customers, and stakeholders.
Oversees the quality of research results from the Unit with nominal review by the Area Office and Office of National Programs.
Plans and conducts research, analyzes data and prepares scientific papers for presentation and/or publication in peer-reviewed research journals.
Represents USDA and ARS on all matters related to the Unit's mission and research programs.
**To be considered for a research scientist position, you must submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Also, submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications.**
Vacant research positions may be filled at one of several grade levels depending upon the scientific impact of the person selected. A peer review may be required to determine the appropriate grade level of the position and supplemental materials may be required from the selectee.
Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. *Final grade level may be determined by a peer review panel.
You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire and review of all written materials submitted with your application. Applicants with veterans’ preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans’ preference within each category.
To view the application form, visit: https://ars.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid;=582c07be-dbf2-480b-acb9-a3a800c3ed85
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.
Your education and experience will be evaluated against all qualification requirements (basic and any additional requirements) listed below.Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.
Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
**Basic Requirements
Research Entomologist, GS-0414 - Degree:** entomology or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology **OR** a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major that included course work as indicated above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
**Additional Requirements
GS-14:** Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.
**Specialized Experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled.** The Specialized Experience requirements for the GS-14 level of this position are: experience conducting entomology and/or ecology based research related to sustainable pollination systems; experience independently developing and implementing a long-term research project focusing on the factors affecting bee populations; experience independently or as part of a team identifying and implementing crop management programs, using crops such as alfalfa and fruit and nut bearing trees, to help maximize bee pollination; independent experience managing a research program from inception through manuscript production; and experience fostering mutually beneficial interactions with research parties and other interested parties.
**GS-15:** Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service.
**Specialized Experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled.** The Specialized Experience requirements for the GS-15 level of this position are: experience conducting highly specialized entomology and/or ecology based research related to sustainable pollination system; experience independently developing, implementing, and managing a multi-faceted long-term research project focused on factors affecting bee populations; experience independently or as lead researcher identifying and implementing crop management programs, using crops such as alfalfa and fruit and nut bearing tress, to help maximize bee pollination; independent experience managing complex research programs from inception through manuscript production; experience fostering mutually beneficial interactions with research parties and other interested parties.
**Applicants must address the Specialized Experience requirements in their resume or application documents. Applicants that do not reflect the Specialized Experience requirements will not be deemed qualified.**
****Applicants must be available to report for duty at the time a selection is made. Selections are typically made within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.**
**Supervisory/Managerial Competencies: the following KSAs will also be used to**** evaluate candidates in the interview and selection process:**
1. Ability to lead and accomplish work through others (i.e. team building, conflict management, cultural awareness, strategic thinking, technology management, and political savvy.)
2. Ability to communicate with individuals or groups from diverse backgrounds in a variety of situations.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin.
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. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
**Step 1:** Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already 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. You may want to 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. In addition, 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. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application” to continue.
NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agencys staffing system. Once in the Agencys staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).
You must submit a complete Application Package, prior to 11:59, ET, on the closing date of this announcement. The following documents must be submitted for your application package to be considered complete. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are received within the required timeframes. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, system failure or downtime, etc. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration
* Resume clearly describing your experience related to this position as described in the Major Duties, and Qualifications sections of this announcement.
* Your application package must include the announcement number, title and grade of the position.
* Statement that you are a U.S. citizen
* You must submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Also, submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications.
* If you are a veteran and you are claiming veterans’ preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. For competitive service positions, active duty service members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days: you may be granted tentative preference by submitting a “certification” document in lieu of a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. This “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. Veterans’ preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veterans’ preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
* If you are claiming 10-point veterans’ preference based on service-connected disability, in addition to the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), you must also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference, plus the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. For more information on veterans’ preference see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/.
* You must submit a copy of your college transcripts. You must submit with your application evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution wasappropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education asequivalent to U.S. education standards.For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcripts; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
* 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.
**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. 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 resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).
You will be notified by mail once your application is received. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified or your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees at: http://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/enrollment/new-federal-employee-enrollment/
* Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible seehttp://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workfordce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, surplus or displaced Federal employee must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors, and be ratedin the Quality Category as described in the **How You Will Be Evaluated** section.
* Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
* Federal law requires agencies to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. If you are selected as a newly hired employee, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS E-VERIFY system. Under the system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
* This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
* Federal employees are subject to prohibitions against officially dealing with outside organizations in which they have a financial interest. If hired for this position, you **will**be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of the effective date of your appointment and annually thereafter.
* If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; may be fired after beginning work; or may be fined or jailed.
* This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.