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Department:
Department Of Agriculture
Agency:
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Sub Agency:
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Job Announcement Number:
FSIS-MCE-2010-0024
Job Title:
Staff Microbiologist AP-0403-04
Salary Range:
73,100.00 - 113,007.00 USD /year
Series & Grade:
AP-0403-04/04
Promotion Potential:
04
Open Period:
Friday, November 06, 2009 to Friday, November 27, 2009
Position Information:
Full-time Permanent
Duty Locations:
1 vacancy - Washington DC Metro Area, DC
Who May Be Considered:
1. This position is open to all
U.S. Citizens.
2. Officers on active duty in the
Public Health Service (PHS)
Commissioned Corps, PHS Inactive
Reserve Officers, and current
applicants to the PHS. (See how to
apply if applying under this
category; do not apply on-line.)
Job Summary:
The Food Safety and Inspection
Service (FSIS) is a
public health regulatory agency of
the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA). Our mission is to protect
consumers by ensuring that the
commercial supply of
meat *, poultry, and egg products
moving in interstate
commerce or exported to other
countries is safe,
wholesome and correctly labeled
and packaged.
* The "Food Conservation and
Energy Act of 2008", also referred to
as the "2008 Farm Bill",
was signed into Law on June 18, 2008. The
Farm Bill amends the Federal Meat
Inspection Act (FMIA) to include
Catfish as an amenable species
under the Act.
Job Summary:
For those applicants who have
federal competitive status
(hold or previously held a
permanent competitive appointment in the
federal government) and are
eligible for any non-competitives
authorities, you may apply to
announcement #FSIS-MMP-2010-0152.
We offer opportunities for future
merit-based promotion, career
enhancement and professional development;
flexible work schedules,
and transit subsidies in some
locations. For more information about
the agency, visit
"http://www.fsis.usda.gov."
This position is covered by the
Public Health Human Resources
(PHHRS) Demonstration Project.
Effective July 19, 2009, FSIS
began operating under the PHHRS, a Pay
Banding and Pay for Performance
Demonstration Project, in which non-
bargaining unit positions will be
classified by career path,
occupational series, and pay bands
rather than the traditional
General Schedule (GS) grades in
the Federal Service.
PHHRS will offer flexibility to
offer exceptional candidates higher
salaries than most other Federal
agencies. Additionally, employees
will be eligible to receive an
annual pay increase based upon
performance.
For more information on PHHRS,
including information on its pay
tables and how it will benefit
employees, please visit:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Careers/PHHRS_Demo_Project/index.asp
This position is located in the
Office of Public Health Science,
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, Microbiology Division. In this
position you will be responsible
for leading efforts on
microbiological issues central to
the Agency and to the public
health!
Key Requirements:
- FSIS UTILIZES E-VERIFY TO
VERIFY IDENTITY AND EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY.
- SELECTEE MAY BE REQUIRED TO
WORK OCCASSIONAL WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS.
- RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL BE
DETERMINED PER FSIS DIRECTIVE 3820.2.
- THERE IS AN EDUCATION
REQUIREMENT FOR THIS POSITION.
- SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION IS A REQUIREMENT.
- CURRENT US CITIZENSHIP IS A
REQUIREMENT.
Major Duties:
In this position, you will support
efforts on microbiological issues
central to the agency through data
analysis and interpretation and
support of agency public science
health programs.
In this position, you will be
relied upon as an expert advisor
in leading supporting or planning
projects, in the analysis,
interpretation, and validation of
results from data collected on
pathogenic microorganisms, their
toxins, genetic material, and in
the application of related
detection methodologies.
You will be responsible for the
technical and scientific development
and direction of large scale,
complex projects for the agency.
As an expert in this position,
problem definition is a key
aspect of your responsibility.
You will integrate and coordinate
interagency multidisciplinary
efforts of experts and consultants
both within and outside of the
government to resolve critical
food safety issues.
You will support and contribute to
the evaluation of data or program
development, which relies upon
product characteristics, process
capabilities, and public health
factors required in the development
of standards/guidance and
inspection procedures for the prevalence
and levels of various factors or
measures related to food products
or processes including those that
are FSIS regulated.
You will also lead, support or
contribute to program personnel in
formulating approaches to
technological, isolation and
identification laboratory
standards, and will help develop protocol
and strategically investigate and
interpret the relationship between
food safety standards and
scientific measure within the FSIS
context.
You may be asked to solve
difficult analytical or unusual problems
regarding the isolation and
identification of microorganisms.
You will lead or support efforts
to design programs or analyses to
ensure that the adequacy of the
size samples, and their purpose and
selection for inspection under the
Agency's regulations are
considered.
You will serve as a resource in
the area of pathogen control to to
improve food safety and public
health, including issues related to
the development of methods to
investigate, design, implement, and
approve the use of control
techniques for plants under inspection.
Your expertise will be utilized
reviewing manuscripts, reports, and
correspondence prepared by
personnel of the Agency for validity and
completeness of analysis and
interpretation of results, and, where
appropriate, to make
recommendations for approval or revision.
You may also be called upon to testify
in court as an expert witness
in pathogenic/microbiological
matters.
You will utilize a current,
working knowledge of Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (HAACCP)
plans for meat and poultry
establishments, and will serve as
one ot the division's
representatives on product
investigtions and recalls and will
coordinate with other Federal
public health agencies to protect the
public from outbreaks or increased
exposure to adulterated meat or
poultry.
In this position, your work is the
basis for Agency policy
development and regulations, and
you will contribute to the decision
making process by preparing
technical briefing documents and
participating in discussions with
top management officials
concerning emerging issues and
policies of importance to the Agency.
Qualifications:
All applicants must submit
transcripts to verify completion of
required education. (FSIS employees currently classified in
the
Microbiology 0403 Series are not
required to submit transcripts.)
There are two basic components of
your experience that
together define the qualification
requirements. These
components are:
1.
Specialized experience (as stated)
2.
Education (as stated)
1.
In order to meet the specialized experience requirement, you
will need to have completed 52
weeks of progressively responsible
specialized experience at the next
lower band/grade level within 30
days after the closing date of
this announcement.
Basic Education Requirements:
Degree: microbiology; or biology,
chemistry, or basic medical
science that included at least 20
semester hours in microbiology and
other subjects related to the
study of microorganisms, and 20
semester hours in the physical and
mathematical sciences combining
course work in organic chemistry
or biochemistry, physics, and
college algebra, or their
equivalent.
OR
Combination of education and
experience--courses equivalent to a
major in microbiology, biology,
chemistry, or basic medical science
that included courses as shown in
A above, plus appropriate
experience or additional
education.
Successful completion of a full
4-year course of study in an
accredited college or university
leading to a bachelor's or higher
degree that included a major field
of study or specific course
requirements generally as stated
in paragraph A in the individual
occupational requirements.
Where specific course requirements
are not indicated in paragraph A,
the number of semester hours
required to constitute a major field of
study is the amount specified by
the college or university attended.
If this number cannot be obtained,
24 semester hours will be
considered as equivalent to a
major field of study. The nature and
quality of this required course
work must have been such that it
would serve as a prerequisite for
more advanced study in the field
or subject-matter area. Related
course work generally refers to
courses that may be accepted as
part of the program major.
OR
Appropriate combination of
education and experience that is
typically specified in paragraph B
of the individual occupational
requirements. The "paragraph
B" method generally requires that an
applicant possess a core of
educational credit, such as described in
paragraph A above, plus additional
education and/or experience. The
method of determining the number
of semester hours required to
constitute a major field of study
is the same as described in
paragraph A.
The quality of the combination of
education and experience must be
sufficient to demonstrate that the
applicant possesses the
knowledge, skills, and abilities
required to perform work in the
occupation, and is comparable to
that normally acquired through the
successful completion of a full
4-year course of study with a major
in the appropriate field. In
addition to courses in the major and
related fields, a typical college
degree would have included courses
that involved analysis, writing,
critical thinking, research, etc.
These courses would have provided
an applicant with skills and
abilities sufficient to perform
progressively more responsible work
in the occupation. Therefore,
creditable experience should have
demonstrated similarly appropriate
skills or abilities needed to
perform the work of the
occupation.
Specialized experience is recent
professional experience as a food
microbiologist or as a
microbiologist analyzing a wide variety of
food products. Experience must
demonstrate developing or modifying
methods to perform microbiological
analysis; ability to isolate,
detect, and confirm food pathogens
in food products using up-to-date
methodology; identifying need for
development of microbiological
methods and approaches; planning
and carrying out projects to
satisfy these needs; planning and
conducting microbiological
analyses to solve complex
scientific and technical problems, and
interpreting findings and policy
related to the isolation and
detection of foodborne pathogens
in food products. The experience
must demonstrate good
communication skills in order to write complex
protocols, laboratory
communications, and scientific publications.
How You Will Be Evaluated:
Applicants are evaluated in
accordance with Delegated Examining
Procedures. The top candidates are
referred to the selecting
official in score and veterans preference order. 5 or 10 points are
added to the score of veterans who
meet the requirements for
preference and submit legible
documentation by the closing date of
the announcement. A member 4 copy
of the DD-214 must be submitted
for 5 point preference, and for 10 point preference, a DD-214, a
Veterans administration letter
specifying 10 point preference
eligibility, and an SF-15 are requested. In the absence
of an SF-15
and DD-214 for 10 point preference, applicants
that submit the VA
letter specifying eligibility for
preference and an honorable
discharge will be awarded
preference, assuming all requirements for
preference are met. All applicants
are rated on the extent and
quality of experience, education,
and training relevant to the
duties of the position. An automated ranking system, based
on the on-line application process
is used. Before a certificate
can be issued to the selecting
official, the resume is reviewed
carefully by an HR Specialist to
assure that (a) minimum
qualification requirements are
met, (b) the resume supports the
answers provided to the
job-specific questions, and (c) that your
resume addresses experience and
education relevant to this position.
To be well qualified, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must receive a
rating of
at least 85 out of 100.
To
preview questions please click here.
Benefits:
The Federal government offers a
number of exceptional benefits to
its employees. The following Web
addresses are provided for your
reference to explore the major
benefits offered to most Federal
employees.
Flexible Spending Accounts - The
Federal Flexible Spending Accounts
Program (FSAFeds) allows you to
pay for certain health and dependent
care expenses with pre-tax
dollars. For information visit:
https://www.fsafeds.com/fsafeds/index.asp
Health Insurance - The Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program
offers over 100 optional plans.
For information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Leave - Most Federal employees
earn both annual and sick leave. For
additional information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp
Life Insurance - The Federal
Employees' Group Life Insurance Program
(FEGLI) offers: Basic Life
Insurance plus three types of optional
insurance, for additional
information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Long Term Care Insurance - The
Federal Long Term Care Insurance
Program (FLTCIP) provides long
term care insurance for Federal
employees and their parents,
parents-in-law, stepparents, spouses,
and adult children. For additional
information visit:
http://www.ltcfeds.com/
Retirement Program - Almost all
new employees are automatically
covered by the Federal Employees
Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a
three-tiered retirement plan. The
three tiers are: Social Security
Benefits, Basic Benefit Plan,
Thrift Savings Plan. For additional
information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/retire/index.asp
Other Information:
>FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES ALL
EMPLOYERS TO VERIFY THE IDENTITY AND
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY OF ALL
PERSONS HIRED TO WORK IN THE UNITED
STATES. FSIS utilizes E-Verify to
verify identity and employment
eligibility by providing to the
Social Security Administration (SSA)
and, if necessary the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS)
information from each new
employee's Form I-9 to confirm work
authorization. E-Verify cannot be
used to pre-screen job applicants
or to re-verify current employees
and may not limit or influence the
choice of documents presented for
use on the Form I-9. If you have
concern that there has been a
violation of the E-Verify program or
you feel you have been
discriminated during the verification process
based on your national origin or
citizenship status, contact the
Office of Special Counsel at
1-800-255-7688 (TDD: 1-800-237-2515).
For more information on E-Verify
you may contact DHS at 1-888-464-
4218.
>Entitlement to the payment of
relocation expenses will be
determined in accordance with the
provisions outlined in FSIS
Directive 3820.2
>A background investigation is
a requirement for this position.
Appointment will be subject to the
applicant's successful completion
of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure
to successfully meeting these
requirements could lead to adverse
action proceedings including
possible termination.
>If you are selected, you may
need to complete a Declaration for
Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed
to determine
suitability for Federal employment
and to authorize a background
investigation. False statements or responses on a resume
or
application can jeopardize
employment and may be grounds for
disciplinary action, including
removal from Federal service.
>Full performance level of this
position is AP-04.
>Multiple selections: This
announcement may be used to fill
additional, like vacancies should
any occur in the commuting area.
EEO/DIVERSITY POLICY:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities
on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability
and where applicable, sex, marital
status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information,
political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an
individual's income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means
for communication of program
information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at
(202) 720-720-2600 (voice and
TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination, write to USDA,
Director, Office of Civil Rights,
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or
call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or
(202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and
employer.
This Agency provides reasonable
accommodations to applicants with
disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation
for any part
of the application process, please
notify the Agency prior to the
closing date. Decisions on granting reasonable
accommodation will
be on a case-by-case basis.
How To Apply:
Completed applications include:
1. Answers to all core questions
(Completed when registering on-line
in USAJOBS and as part of the
initial application process)
2. Answers to all vacancy-specific
questions (Completed for each
job)
3. Your on-line resume. Resumes
are entered into USAJOBS.
Resumes can be copied and pasted
into the personal information area
of your application from other
word processing documents at any time
prior to the closing date.
4. Any supplemental documents
needed, such as transcripts.
Applicants who do not respond to
the on-line vacancy questions and
who do not submit a supporting
resume or required supporting
documents will be rated
ineligible.
This announcement closes at
midnight eastern time on the closing
date.
Required Documents:
1. If you are qualifying based on
education, and you are not
currently a FSIS employee in the
0403 series, you must submit your
transcripts. This information should include course
title, school
name/location, date completed,
grade, and number of credits earned.
2. Non-FSIS applicants must submit a copy
of their most recent SF-
50B indicating their current
grade/band level, status and tenure to
verify competitive status.
3.
If you claim CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, please provide
a copy of
your most recent performance
appraisal (at least "fully successful"
or equivalent), and proof of
eligibility, i.e., a RIF separation
notice or Certification of
Expected Separation, and an SF-50 noting
current position, grade/band
level, and duty location.
4.
Officers on active duty in the Public Health Service (PHS)
Commissioned Corps, PHS Inactive
Reserve Corps Officers,
and applicants to the PHS
Commissioned Corps do not apply on-line.
These applicants should send hard
copy applications (i.e. curriculum
vitae) to the HR contact listed in
this announcement. Applicants to
the PHS Commissioned Corps should
also submit a copy of their
Commissioned Corps application.
Officers and Corps applicants are
strongly encouraged to submit all
the materials requested here (or
their equivalent) in order to be
competitive. For general
information on employment as a
Commissioned Corps Officer at FSIS,
please contact CDR LouAnn Rector
at (202) 720-7208 or
email LouAnn.Rector@fsis.usda.gov.
If you claim eligibility for
consideration via a variety of non-
competitive special hiring authorities,
supporting documentation
should be provided.
Please note: A member 4 copy of
the DD-214 must be submitted
for veterens applying for
consideration.
For more information on
non-competitive appointments, Click here.
Additional Supporting
Documentation should be sent using the fax
imaging instructions after you
have applied to the vacancy
announcement.
Faxing Supporting Documentation:
The next step of the application process is
to fax all the required
supporting documentation specified
in the Required Documents section
of this vacancy announcement. You
do not need to have all of your
supporting documentation submitted
in order to continue with the
online portion of the application
process. Please carefully follow
the instructions below to ensure
your supporting documents are
properly faxed and received. All
required documents must be
received by midnight Eastern Time
on the closing date of the vacancy
announcement.
***Not all of the document types
listed will pertain to you; only
submit documents needed to
complete your application package. For
example, the Schedule A
Certification document must only be
submitted by individuals applying
based on eligibility for
appointment due to a disability.
The SF-50 is a form current and
former Federal employees submit to
document their Federal employment
status.
FAX INSTRUCTIONS for after you
apply to the vacancy announcement:
1. If you have previously faxed
supporting documentation the status
of those documents will indicate
Received. There is no need
to resubmit documents which show a
status of received unless you are
submitting an updated copy. (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
fax both the old document and the
new document for them both to be
accessible to HR.)
2. You must use a separate cover
sheet for each category of
supporting documentation (i.e.,
transcripts, SF-50, DD-214). Choose
the document cover sheet(s) you
would like to print by selecting the
appropriate check boxes in the
Selected Documents column.
3. Click the [Print Cover Sheets]
button. A window will pop up
containing the fax cover sheet(s)
you selected. Print the cover sheet
(s). NOTE: You must be connected
to a printer in order to
print the cover sheets.
Additionally, you must allow pop-ups.
4. Once you have reviewed the list
of documents and printed any
required fax cover sheets click on
[Done]. You will be moved
forward in the application
process.
5. Before faxing your document(s),
take care to ensure the document
is legible and all information is
complete and signed, if
necessary. Fax only documents
which are clear and legible.
Original documents with light or
faded print and/or dark or
patterned backgrounds will not be
legible upon receipt. Illegible
faxed documents cannot be used for
qualification or verification
purposes.
6. Place the corresponding cover
sheet on top of the document and
fax the cover sheet and document
together to the fax number
specified on the cover sheet.
NOTE: If you are faxing
documents from more than one
category of supporting documentation,
you must submit them with the
appropriate cover sheet. EACH
DOCUMENT TYPE MUST BE FAXED
SEPARATELY under its corresponding
cover sheet. DO NOT FAX ALL
DOCUMENTS TYPES UNDER ONE COVER
SHEET. (i.e., Transcripts are one
type of document; fax all
pages of your transcript and other
education-related documents under
the transcript cover sheet; the SF-50 is another document type, if
you are faxing more than one SF-50, fax them all under the SF-50
cover sheet.)
7. Be sure to save these cover sheets
in the event you need to re-
fax your supporting documents.
Each fax transmission includes a
unique identification number and
bar code, which ensures your
document is processed correctly.
8. You will receive an e-mail
confirming the fax has been
successfully received by Human
Resources. You should retain your e-
mail confirmation and confirmation
of your fax transmittal report as
proof of submission.
Your application will be
considered incomplete and YOU WILL BE
FOUND INELIGIBLE if you fail to submit
the required
documentation as specified under
the required documents section by
midnight Eastern Time on the
closing date of the vacancy
announcement.
Contact Information:
Yvonne Martin
Phone: 612-659-8611
Fax: 612-370-2062
TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: yvonne.martin@fsis.usda.gov
Or write:
Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
Human Resources Field Office
Butler Square West, Suite 420C
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Fax: 612-370-2062
What To Expect Next:
You may check your application
status on USAJOBS. Applications are
reviewed after the announcement
closing date and the best qualified
candidates are referred to the
selecting official.
EEO Policy Statement: http://www.usajobs.gov/eeo
Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Statement: http://www.usajobs.gov/raps
Veterans Information: http://www.usajobs.gov/vi
Legal and Regulatory Guidance: http://www.usajobs.gov/lrg
USAJOBS Control Number: 1728590
Control Number: 84439331
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