Research Plant Scientist/Research Plant Physiologist/Research Geneticist

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 for Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401
A. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Basic Requirements for Plant Physiology Series 0435
Degree:Botany or plant physiology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 10 semester hours in plant physiology.
Evaluation of Education:The 10-semester-hour requirement in plant physiology is specific. Course work is qualifying if it dealt with plant physiology, some phase of plant physiology, or methods and techniques applied in plant physiology work. Other course work in borderline areas should be evaluated on the basis of content.

Basic Requirements for Genetics Series 0440
A. Degree: Genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics. Basic biological sciences include plant molecular biology, plant cellular biology, plant biology, plant genomics or plant genetics.

Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as agronomy, horticulture, animal, dairy, or poultry husbandry, entomology, microbiology, plant pathology, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology that involved cross-training in genetics is qualifying, provided it placed sufficient emphasis on genetics.

Evaluation of Education: Most students in the field take graduate work because specific training in genetics may be limited at the undergraduate level. Under these circumstances, it may be necessary to evaluate undergraduate course work in genetics in one of two ways, as described below, to determine whether or not it is qualifying.

1. Courses dealing with genetics, some phase of genetics, or specific techniques that are applied in genetics work are acceptable. This includes courses in genetics, plant or animal genetics, molecular and cellular biology, mathematics and statistics (as they apply to genetics), population dynamics, and certain techniques such as those dealing with irradiation.
2. Course work consisting of an appropriate combination of basic courses in genetics and cytology or statistics are also acceptable.

Additional Requirements
In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below.

GS-12: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possess an equivalent combination of graduate level education and experience. Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level of this position are: (1) conducting basic and applied research in the broad area of crop plant biology or plant science, including molecular biology, physiology, genomics, genetics, breeding, crop science or agronomy (2) utilizing research techniques with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones and crop plant phenotypic characterization; (3) publishing research results as first author in low to medium-impact (impact factor below 5.0) peer reviewed journals related to plant molecular biology, plant physiology, plant genomics, plant genetics, crop science or agronomy; and (5) collaborating with university cooperators; and presenting research findings at professional meetings of regional or national stature.

GS-13: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 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-13 level of this position are: (1) conceiving, planning, and conducting research related to cotton improvement; (2) applying technical knowledge of aerial telemetry using UAVs, genetics, molecular biology, biostatistics, and marker-assisted selection for cotton improvement; (3) publishing original research as first author in medium to high-impact (impact factor at or above 5.0) peer-reviewed scientific journals related to plant molecular biology, plant physiology, plant genomics, plant genetics, crop science or agronomy; (4) collaborating with external commodity stakeholder groups ; and (5) presenting research findings at meetings of international stature.

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.

To further support your qualifications, it is strongly recommended that you submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Failure to do so could result in loss of your consideration/referral. Also, please 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.

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.