Plant Pathologist

Summary This position is located with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Pacific West Area (PWA), Commodity Protection & Quality Research Unit (CPQRU) in Parlier, CA and will provide research support to the Supervisory Research Scientist. This is a Term Appointment NTE 13 months with the option to extend up to 10 years. Decision to extend will be determined by the supervisor. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a US Citizen or US National Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/ 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. Basic Requirements: GS-0434 Degree: Plant pathology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 20 semester hours in basic botany or plant science, and 10 semester hours in plant pathology. AND Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and which provided the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Experience:The qualification requirements for this position at the GS-11 grade level includes one-year specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level, or its non-Federal equivalent: conducting research on control of postharvest fruit rot diseases of fresh fruits such as blueberry, citrus, table grapes and others; conducting research on fungicide resistance in plant pathogens; publishing research results on postharvest diseases of fresh fruits in peer-reviewed journals. OR Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Related degrees may include plant pathology, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, molecular genetics, or population genetics. OR Combination of Education & Experience: A combination of graduate level education and experience as described above. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Additional information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Read more 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 window Learn 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.