Position Website and Application Information
POSITION:
Plant Protection and Quarantine Aid/Technician - limited appointment, not to exceed 180 working days during the first year.
LOCATION: Two positions in Central Illinois: Bid Unit 81- covering counties or portions of counties including Douglas, Edgar, Champaign, Vermillion, Ford, Iroquois, Piatt, McLean and Moultrie. Bid Unit 82- covering counties or portion of counties including Piatt, Moultrie, McLean, DeWitt, Macon, Sangamon, Livingston, Logan, Christian, Woodford and Ford.
SALARY:
Series & Grade GS-0421-03/04: Pay rate $13.78 per hour for GS3, $15.47 per hour for GS4. Work vehicle may be provided. Average daily driving requirement is 100-250 miles.
WORK SCHEDULE:
40 hours per week, 8:00AM – 4:30PM, Monday through Friday
DATES:
Summer positions start late April to early May and end late August to early September. Dates are approximate depending upon weather conditions and insect development. Work will last approximately 13 weeks over a 16-week period.
A 3-4-week unpaid furlough will be required after trap set, this falls during approximately moth of July.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The USDA is seeking qualified and self-motivated individuals to work as seasonal Spongy Moth Trappers, setting, servicing, and removing traps throughout a multiple-county area within Illinois. Additional duties include plan routes, follow trap assignment maps, assemble gypsy moth traps, contact property owners, prepare weekly reports, collect and record accurate data, use ESRI Field Maps Data Collection application with Global Position System (GPS) unit, upload trapping data to database, communicate regularly and as directed by supervisor, assist with additional survey programs as needed. The following abilities are important: work independently, prioritize work, good verbal communication skills, ability, and willingness to interact with public, learn simple insect identification, practice safe driving habits, drive up to approximately 250 miles per day, work outdoors in rugged terrain and commitment to work through the season. These positions require very responsible individuals.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
Grade GS-3: Successful completion of one year of study, above high school, that includes at lease 4 semester hours in courses such as biology, plant pathology, entomology, zoology, botany, forestry, chemistry, agriculture, or physics.
Grade GS-4: Successful completion of two years of study, above high school level, that includes at least 8 semester hours in the course work mentioned above.
OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
- Applicant must have a valid state driver’s license and a good driving record.
- Applicant must be able to communicate verbally in a tactful way to a diverse public.
- Applicant must reside in assigned trapping area.
