The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides leadership on food and agriculture issues based on public policy, the best available science and effective management. The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) links U.S. agriculture to the world, improves foreign market access for U.S. food and agricultural products, builds new markets, improves the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace, and provides food aid and technical assistance to foreign countries.
Duties
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.
Provide technical support and expertise in one or more program areas, such as international trade finance; agricultural trade capacity building programs; scientific exchange initiatives; and related international development activities.
Assist with the coordination and implementation of agricultural capacity building and scientific exchange programs, including helping deliver science based training and technical assistance.
Support the administration of program financial requirements and internal controls by helping ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policies.
Contribute to the negotiation, development, and implementation of agreements and cooperative activities involving FAS, other USDA agencies, academic institutions and international or foreign counterparts.
Provide information, participate in briefings, and represent program areas in discussions with internal and external partners as assignments become more complex.
Qualifications
To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years; OR Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level), which may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors, that demonstrates all the following: Assisted with program or project support for international or agricultural development or trade activities. Helped collect and organize information for capacity-building or technical assistance work. Written or oral communication to share basic program information or support team tasks. Experience may be from the public or private sector. OR 1 full year of graduate level education OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND must meet certain GPA requirements.
TO QUALIFY AT THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level), which may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors, that demonstrates all the following: Conducts research, gathers data, and provides inputs for reports, briefings, and analytical products. Implementing, coordinating, and evaluating agricultural assistance programs. Conducts assessments and provides initial interpretations of international trade issues, conditions, and events. OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.
TRANSCRIPTS are required. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 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. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Education
Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Transcripts including the date your degree was conferred are required. Applications will not be considered without this documentation.
How to apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about 1-2 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.
From Foreign Agricultural Service's public posting, laid out for reading by newgrad.ai with the wording unchanged. Check the original before you apply.
