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Job Title: Food Safety Specialist - Alexandria, VA
Department: Department Of Agriculture
Agency: Food and Nutrition Service
Job Announcement Number:12-FNS-224P
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SALARY RANGE:
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$105,211.00
to $136,771.00 / Per Year
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OPEN PERIOD:
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Wednesday,
May 09, 2012 to Tuesday, May 29, 2012
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SERIES & GRADE:
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GS-0601-14
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POSITION INFORMATION:
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Full-Time
- Permanent
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PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
14
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DUTY LOCATIONS:
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1
vacancy(s) - Alexandria, VA, USView
Map
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WHO MAY BE
CONSIDERED:
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U.S.
citizens; no prior Federal experience is required. Current permanent
Federal employees with competitive status, former Federal employees who
have reinstatement eligibility, and individuals
who are eligible under special appointing authorities may wish to apply
under 12-FNS-026.
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JOB SUMMARY:
This position
is located in Alexandria, VA (approximately 6.4 miles outside of Washington,
DC).
This position
is located in the Office of Food Safety, located within Special Nutrition
Programs. The mission of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is to
increase food security and reduce hunger in partnership with cooperating
organizations by providing children and low-income people with access to
food, a healthy diet, and nutrition education in a manner that supports
American agriculture and inspires public confidence. FNS provides excellent
opportunities for specialized training through its own facilities and outside
resources. Career guidance and on- and off-the-job training programs are
tailored to an individual employee's needs. If you want to apply your
knowledge and skills to food program activities that seek to strengthen
America, there is a challenging and rewarding career waiting for you with
FNS!
Key Information:
·
Relocation and Recruitment incentives may be
available.
·
FNS offers alternative and flexible work schedules.
·
Click "Print Preview" to review the
entire announcement before applying.
KEY
REQUIREMENTS
DUTIES:
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As a Food
Safety Specialist, you will:
·
Serve as a technical expert in the Office of Food
Safety, and are responsible for the execution of those activities that
support the goals, objectives, and needs of the office;
·
Assist the Director with priority actions, attend
meetings, and respond to inquiries on behlaf of the
Director in their absence;
·
Research and evaluate the causes of foodborne
infections, illnesses, and injuries within the FNS client population and
recommend educational campaigns and preventative strategies;
·
Serve as an agency expert on emerging food safety
issues, industry practices, and new techniques in processing that might have
an impact on the food quality, safety, and acceptability of foods used or
distributed through the FNS nutrition assistance programs; and
·
Analyze and evaluate data from Agency holds and
recalls of USDA Foods in FNS programs to determine effectiveness of
procedures and to suggest continuous improvements.
QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED:
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In order for
your application to be considered, you must meet the following requirements
by the closing date of this announcement:
Basic Requirements:
You must have
completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or
university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in an
academic field related to the health sciences or allied health sciences, such
as biology, chemistry, food science, food technology, nutrition or
agricultural sciences, as appropriate to the work of the position.
There must be
sufficient documentation in your resume to support your response (e.g.,
copies of transcripts).
Minimum Qualification Requirement:
Specialized
Experience:
You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and
responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.
Experience for this position includes the application of the science of
food safety in the design and implementation of food safety studies
sufficient to provide technical guidance and advice on food safety research
issues, as well as respond appropriately to food safety emergency situations
by providing technical information and data.
Notes: The experience may have
been gained in either the public or private sector. One year of experience
refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited)
college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign
education must be evaluated by a credentialing agency.
-
HOW YOU WILL
BE EVALUATED:
Your
application includes your:
1.
Resume,
2.
Responses to the online questions, and
3.
Required supporting documents.
We use a
multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants:
1. Minimum Requirements: Your application must show that you meet all
requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this
position. You will be found "not qualified" if you do not possess
the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is
incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible.
2. Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following
areas:
·
Knowledge of food safety data and food safety
practices sufficient to analyze food safety and/or health
related situations, and make decisions or determine resolutions to
food safety situations augmented by a knowledge of food manufacturing
processes, food production processes, and the foodservice industry.
·
Knowledge of food safety and public health
practices, and principles sufficient to identify foodborne disease and other
food safety risks.
·
Skill in writing scientific, educational and
technical reports concisely and effectively in order to disseminate
information related to food safety and its impact on public health.
·
Skill in communicating orally and relating
effectively with a variety of personnel within and outside the agency, in
order to make presentations about food safety issues.
·
Ability to manage projects, grants, and/or
contracts. Ability to create realistic budget proposals and plans to
accomplish current and future goals.
We may
lower your rating if your responses to the online questions are not supported
by the education and/or experience described in your application. Category
Rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you
will be assigned to one of three categories, Best Qualified, Well-Qualified
or Qualified depending on your experience and education related to this
position. Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned
category and considered before non-preference-eligibles
in that category.
3. Referral: If you are among the top
qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting
official for consideration and possible interview. If you are a displaced or
surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan
(CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)), you must be
assigned to the Well Qualified category or higher to be determined as well
qualified to receive special selection priority.
We recommend
that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start
the application process.
To preview questions please click here.
BENEFITS:
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Our
comprehensive benefits are some of the most generous. Explore the major
benefits offered to most Federal employees at: http://www.usajobs.gov/ResourceCenter/Index/Interactive/Benefits#icc
OTHER INFORMATION:
·
We may select from this announcement or any other
source to fill one or more vacancies.
·
Relocation and Recruitment incentives may be
available.
·
This is a bargaining unit designated position.
·
If you are retired from the Federal Government and
are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from
your pay.
·
Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual:
Newly-appointed employees or employees reappointed after a break in service
may be eligible to receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior
work experience. FNS may grant service credit for prior non-Federal work
experience or active duty uniformed service that is directly related to the
position being filled. Creditable service must be determined prior to the
effective date of the employee's entry on duty. For more information, contact
the Human Resources Specialist listed under "Contact Information."
·
To file a complaint of discrimination, within 45
days of notification, write USDA, EEO Counselor, FNS, Office of Civil Rights,
12th floor, Alexandria, VA 22302-1500, or call (703) 305-2195. USDA is an
equal opportunity employer.
·
FNS has contracted with the Treasury's Bureau of
the Public Debt (BPD) to provide certain Human Resource services to its
organization. BPD's responsibilities include advertising FNS' vacancies,
accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: If selected for this position, you will be required to:
·
Complete a one-year probationary period (unless
already completed).
·
Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to
determine your suitability for Federal employment.
·
If you are a male applicant born after December 31,1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt
from having to do so.
·
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of
your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
·
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV)
process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires
verification of the identify and employment
eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
·
Successfully complete a background investigation.
HOW TO APPLY:
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The following
instructions outline our application process. You must complete this
application process and submit any required documents 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). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on
the announcement's closing date. FNS 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 or Upload a Resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) We recommend you go to the
end of the Qualifications & Evaluations section of the job announcement
to preview the online questions that you will answer. You may need to
customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these
questions. See Resume Tips.
Step 2 - Apply Online
Click "Apply Online." You will be directed to USAJOBS where you must select a
resume. If you have documents uploaded to USAJOBS, you may select those you
wish to submit as well. After selecting a resume (and documents, if
applicable), click "Apply for this position now!" and follow the
prompts to register (if you haven't already done so), answer the online
questions, and submit all required documents. You will have the opportunity
to submit documents via 3 different options: 1) download from USAJOBS, 2)
upload from your computer, or 3) fax. You can update your application or
documents anytime while the announcement is open. To do so, log into your
USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the
position title, and then select "Apply Online" to continue.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as
specified in this announcement, you may lose consideration for this position
(or lose the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Veterans' Preference Documentation
If you are
claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of
Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other
official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of
Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point
preference eligibles must also submit an
Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required
documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on
veterans' preference, click here.
CTAP/ICTAP Proof Of Eligibility
If you are a
displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for consideration under the
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition
Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must submit proof of eligibility. For a detailed
explanation and list of required documents, click here.
Education Documentation
Submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number
of credits, grade, and date of completion.
To be used in meeting qualifications requirements, a college or
university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited)
college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a
list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx.
An official
transcript will be required if you are selected.
If you are
qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability
of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency; more information may be
found at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e4.asp#e4a.
RECOMMENDED
DOCUMENTS:
In addition, we recommend that you submit the following:
OF 306 Declaration for Federal
Employment
Performance
Appraisal A
copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal, dated within
the last 18 months, that includes the final
rating.
AGENCY CONTACT
INFO:
Christina
Douglas
Phone: 304-480-7300
Fax: 000-000-0000
TDD: 304-480-8725
Email: FNSINQUIRIES@BPD.TREAS.G
OV
Agency
Information:
USDA, Food and Nutrition Service
***WE DO NOT ACCEPT MAILED APPLICATIONS***
Parkersburg, WV
26106
US
Fax: 000-000-0000
WHAT TO EXPECT
NEXT:
You may check
the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto
the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application
Status". We also recommend you opt to receive status change emails
through USAJOBS by logging into "Notification Settings." Please
notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the
announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is
inaccurate, or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam blocker), you may not receive important communication that could
affect your consideration for this position.
Agency
Information:
USDA, Food and
Nutrition Service
***WE DO NOT ACCEPT MAILED APPLICATIONS***
Parkersburg, WV
26106
US
Fax: 000-000-0000
Questions
about this job:
Christina
Douglas
Phone: 304-480-7300
Fax: 000-000-0000
TDD: 304-480-8725
Email: FNSINQUIRIES@BPD.TREAS.G
OV
Job
Announcement Number:
12-FNS-224P
Control
Number:
316189300
Apply Now
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