What are the responsibilities and job description for the Dairy Scientist position at US Agricultural Marketing Service?
Duties
As the Dairy Scientist in this position, you will:
- Performing laboratory analysis of milk for fat, protein, lactose, and solids and somatic cell count of raw milk by infrared and wet chemical techniques
- Using ether extraction, Kjeldahl analysis, enzymatic lactose assay, and direct microscopic counts to determine milk content.
- Analyzing data using spreadsheet and graphical analysis to produce test reports.
- Interacting with dairy industry representatives via telephone and written correspondence to coordinate dairy testing.
- Implementing new dairy testing methods to improve process.
- Maintaining dairy lab equipment.
- Monitoring dairy laboratory testing
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen
- You will be required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Legal and regulatory guidance below).
- Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
- There is a required one-year probationary period.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- The selectee's pay will be set between pay bands MA 13 - 14
- Relocation expense is not paid, applicants are responsible for any relocation expenses.
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
Qualifications
Basic Requirement: Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a physical or life science with at least 15 semester hours in chemistry, microbiology, or dairy and food related sciences AND at least 6 semester hours of mathematics or physics.
OR
Have Applicant must have the appropriate semester hours described above for the position and experience that, when combined with education, would equal a 4-year course of study. The experience must equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform at the grade level to which appointed.
In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following professional experience or graduate education requirement in order to be considered:
NOTE: Consideration for the MA 13-14 will be based on the agencies review of the applicants experience and/or education.
Professional Experience Qualification Requirements:
In addition to the above-stated basic requirement, in order to qualify at the MA-13 payband and above, applicants must have 6 months or more of professional experience in a field directly related to the position to be filled. This experience must have equipped the candidate with the necessary knowledge and ability to fully perform the work of the position being filled. Required professional experience is as follows:
1. Performing laboratory analysis of dairy or food products by instrumental analysis and/or wet chemical techniques;
2. Experienced in performing laboratory analysis within a Quality Assurance Program; AND
3. Analyzing data using spreadsheet and graphical analysis to produce test reports. This experience must be comparable in scope and responsibility to Federal service or obtained either in private or public sectors.
OR
Graduate Education: Must have half a year of full-time graduate education for each grade in a field directly related to the position to be filled.
Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
Volunteer or unpaid experience: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
Education Requirements: You must provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
Foreign education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information click here. You must provide translated transcripts.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
Dairy Program offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.
If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
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 a 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) 720-2600 (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.
The applicant must have a valid driver license, and provide proof of insurability. You must be a U.S. citizen. Males born after 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; or may be fired after you begin work; and you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361. Privacy Act Notice (PL93-579)
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any specialized experience and/or selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, your application is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, 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.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year) and duties performed for each position held.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire.
3. Transcripts if qualifying based on education OR education is part of the basic education requirement
4. Veterans documents (if applicable): DD-214 including character of service, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days, and if applicable, SF-15 Form, VA letter, or other documentation required by that form.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETSIf you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. 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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application, occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To view the occupational questionnaire select https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12619211
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
To begin, click Apply Online. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.Agency contact information
Staff AcquisitionEmailsag-e-appeals@opm.govAddressAgricultural Marketing Service
USDA, AMS, Dairy Program
1400 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250
USNext steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position, and whether or not your application is referred to the selecting official. You will be contacted directly if further evaluation or an interview is required.
You will be notified via email of your application status at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You may check your application status by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking "Application Status".
The amount of notices that each applicant receives may vary. The four points of notification are:- Application Received or Application Incomplete
- Minimum Qualification Requirement Met/Not Met
- Eligible (Application Referred) or Eligible (Application Not referred)
- Selected or Not Selected
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Criminal history inquiries
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Financial suitability
- New employee probationary period
- Privacy Act
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Selective Service
- Signature and false statements
- Social security number request
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year) and duties performed for each position held.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire.
3. Transcripts if qualifying based on education OR education is part of the basic education requirement
4. Veterans documents (if applicable): DD-214 including character of service, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days, and if applicable, SF-15 Form, VA letter, or other documentation required by that form.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
This job is open to
- The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
- Veterans