Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Description:

This position is located at the Plant Material Center (PMC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Beltsville, MD and at the USDA Headquarters People's Garden in Washington DC.

This position serves as the Farm Manager of the People's Garden. The Farm Manager is responsible for running the garden, and assists PMC staff in operations and research to support natural resource conservation programs.

Requirements:

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying:

GS-07

Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Identifying and addressing common horticulture issues such as weed and pest problems, and fertility or soil moisture variations; Growing crops and horticultural plants; and Operating and maintaining basic equipment for growing plants. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

OR

Education: At least one full year of graduate level education in a field of study directly related to the position such as mycology, plant pathology, entomology, botany, soil science, ecology, agronomy, agriculture, or horticulture. (You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Combination: You must have a percentage of the education and experience which when combined totals 100% of the necessary education and experience to qualify for this position. When combining education with experience, first determine total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required; then determine experience as a percentage of the experience required; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must submit transcripts.)

GS-08

Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Resolving common horticulture issues such as weed and pest problems, and fertility or soil moisture variations; Supporting activities for evaluating plants and cultivars and making recommendations; Following an operational plan to appropriately irrigate, fertilize, and apply pesticides to support plant growth; and Operating and maintaining facilities and irrigation equipment for growing plants. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

OR

Education: At least two full years of graduate level education or a Master's degree in a field of study directly related to the position such as mycology, plant pathology, entomology, botany, soil science, ecology, agronomy, agriculture, or horticulture. (You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Combination: You must have a percentage of the education and experience which when combined totals 100% of the necessary education and experience to qualify for this position. When combining education with experience, first determine total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required; then determine experience as a percentage of the experience required; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must submit transcripts.) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series