National Program Leader-Plant Health for the Department of Agriculture
Full-Time
Salary: $131,767 to $161,900 per year
Job Description:
This National Program Leader (NPL) position is located in the Office of National Programs (ONP). ONP sets research priorities for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and develops, for the Administrator, options and recommendations for resource allocations.
In this position, you will provide national and international leadership to coordinate agricultural research programs relating to diseases of agronomic and horticultural crops. Leveraging cutting edge technologies, you will work with top scientists to direct research aimed at providing high impact solutions to challenges in plant health. You will partner and interface with other government agencies as a technical expert on a wide variety of biosecurity issues involving plant pathogens, including Select Agents and other plant pathogens of national and global importance.
Key characteristics of a successful NPL include having excellent scientific credentials from a personal research program, having a broad vision for research now and in the future, being a team player as both leader and member in high level teams, and having excellent people and communication skills.
This position is conveniently located off the Capital Beltway at the George Washington Carver Center (GWCC) in Beltsville, MD. The GWCC offers free-on-site parking and a free shuttle service to nearby Greenbelt Metro station. If you utilize public transportation to commute, you may be eligible for our commuter subsidy program.
At ARS, we offer a range of family friendly flexibilities, including flexible work schedules, telework options, and on-site child day care, to name a few. Depending on your years of employment, you will accumulate vacation (13-26 days per year) and sick leave (13 days per year). Our health insurance program is a nationally recognized model, offering choice and flexibility along with a substantial employer contribution to premiums. You can pay your share of premiums and out of pocket costs with pre-tax dollars. For retirement, ARS has the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), consisting of three components: Social Security benefits, a basic annuity plan, and the tax-deferred Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Employees pay full Social Security taxes and a small contribution to the basic annuity plan. ARS makes an automatic 1% of salary contribution to your TSP, and will match your TSP contributions up to a total of 5% of salary.
Job Duties:
- Provides technical leadership and guidance in the area of plant health.
- Coordinates national scientific research programs in the area of plant diseases and health.
- Serves as the spokesperson for the Agency on matters related to plant health, nationally and globally.
- Provides oversight and direction for national research in plant health.
- Responsible for fiscal planning and providing input on budget initiatives for funding high priority research areas.
- Sets goals and objectives for research projects and participates in the strategic planning process.
- Manages and coordinates team-based, multidisciplinary research programs.
- Develops National Research Programs, evaluates programs, reviews progress of research, interprets and documents research outcomes and impacts, and develops research initiatives.
- Serves as a scientific reviewer and/or provides oversight for various committees involved with Federal, State, and or local research.
- Speaks for the Agency through informal conversation and formal gatherings.
- Serves on advisory boards and scientific working groups for government agencies and non-governmental organizations, universities, and industry.
- Works as a leader and team member of high level teams across all programs in ARS
Required Qualifications:
- Conditions of Employment
- Pre-employment Screening Assessment is required.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- A 1-year probationary period is required.
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE
GS-15: Qualifying experience for the GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes conducting research in the area of Plant Health that resulted in peer reviewed journal articles, patents, and/or germplasm releases and providing senior level technical leadership in the area of Plant Health.
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, knowledge, and skills 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
Plant Pathologist, GS-0434-15: to qualify for the GS-15, applicants must have a degree in plant pathology; or a related scientific discipline, such as biology, genetics, botany, plant science, microbiology, virology, mycology, or agronomy, that included at least 20 semester hours in basic botany or plant science, and 10 semester hours in plant pathology. Evaluation of Education: courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, crop sciences, agronomy, forestry, horticulture, or similar subjects may be used to meet the 20-semester-hour requirement in basic botany or plant science. To meet the specific 10-semester-hour requirement in plant pathology, the courses must have been in plant pathology, or have dealt with specific subject matter areas of plant pathology such as those concerned with viruses, fungal or bacterial diseases, host-plant relationships, biotic or chemical controls, environmental or physiological diseases, parasitic diseases, etc.
To Apply: Go to https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/480682000 and follow instructions to create a USAJOBS account and apply online
