Botanist

Summary

The primary responsibility of the incumbent is to perform specialized and difficult taxonomic work based on major subject matter expertise. The incumbent provides expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to Agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers.

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Duties

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• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Identifies or verifies identification of plants and plant parts, such as seeds, leaves, dormant parts and wood, to family, genera or species for quarantine or regulatory action.
• Serves as a recognized specialist in the broad area of botany and deals primarily in programs involving the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Threatened Endangered plant species and Federal noxious weeds
• Maintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
• Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of plants and plant parts.
• Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.
• Exercises agency regulatory authority by initiating regulatory action, e.g. for quarantine pests intercepted from imported commodities or new State or county determinations from domestic surveys.
• Provides technical assistance regarding program pests, and the pathways with which they enter the US by analyzing interception records for trends of pest entry, monitoring inspection procedures and establishing contacts with industry.
• Assists in providing oversight of laboratory support staff including laboratory technicians, student employees and data entry assistants.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male 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. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• 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
• Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.

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 REQUIREMENT:

1. Degree: botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany.
   OR
2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL : Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may be been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Interpreting and applying federal import requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for import. Interpreting and applying foreign requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for export.
• Enforcing Federal and/or State regulatory orders to restrict movement, and/or issue certificates permitting movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas, and/or ensure that prohibited material is seized and disposed of in accordance with established procedures.
• Using knowledge of plant taxonomy and microscopy and available literature to identify plants specimens to genus level.
• Properly preserving botanical plant specimens and seeds.

OR

2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's equivalent graduate degree in the fields of botany.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Utilizing accepted taxonomic databases and contemporary taxonomic literature for identification and treatment work.
• Dissecting microscope and microscopic digital imaging systems to aid in seed identification and for cataloguing seed collections.
• Utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope to advance and refine taxonomic identification of seeds.
• Maintaining, developing, and supplementing information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
• Developing and maintaining specimen collections of plant pests.

OR

3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. in Botany or equivalent doctoral degree.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

• This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
• You are qualifying for the position based on education.
• You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
• This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-11 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

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.
• First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
• Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
• Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.
• Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
• Physical Demands: The position is generally sedentary, although there is prolonged standing at times. Occasional field survey/investigations or collection trips require walking, bending, crouching and climbing for prolonged periods in rough terrain subject to a variety of weather conditions.
• Work Environment: The work is performed in an inspection station or a laboratory setting. There are regular and recurring risks associated with working around and with chemicals.
• The incumbent may be required to work overtime, weekends, holidays or other irregular tours of duty and shifts.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.