Entomologist/Plant Pathologist (Risk Analyst)

Full Job Description

As an Entomologist or Plant Pathologist you will serve in the Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory (PERAL), addressing complex issues in safeguarding, exotic pest management, assuring safe trade, and protecting U.

S. agriculture through the exclusion and detection of exotic pests.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

BASIC REQUIREMENT, ENTOMOLOGIST SERIES, 0414: Degree: entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology.

OR: Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major that included course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

BASIC REQUIREMENT, PLANT PATHOGIST SERIES, 0434: Degree: plant pathology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 20 semester hours in basic botany or plant science, and 10 semester hours in plant pathology.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, the applicant must demonstrate the below experience.

FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Applying entomological or plant pathology knowledge to assess the risk a wide variety of exotic plant pest threats, to develop regulatory, survey, response, and/or control options to appropriately exclude, respond to, or manage these threats.

Interpreting data from statistical analysis, GIS, or mathematical models to make inferences and draw conclusions about a wide range of plant diseases and physiological conditions for plant health and pest management or arthropods and their potential impacts to plant resources and pest management across diverse environments and host systems.

Clearly communicating complex spatial and quantitative concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Coordinating multidisciplinary project teams to achieve technical and programmatic objectives. Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.

This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university 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. Major 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.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Analyze the risk of invasion, establishment and movement of quarantine-significant exotic pests based on ecological factors, human activities, and spatial population dynamics, and spread modeling.
• Analyze literature and internal data, write agency reports, and conduct risk assessments to support rule making and program actions.
• Develop sound sampling procedures for survey of quarantine-significant pests, including estimates of probabilities of detecting populations as a function of sampling effort and pest populations.
• Design, evaluate, and optimize comprehensive strategies for detecting incipient populations of exotic pests of plants, using tools as simulation models of population dynamics and sampling or trapping.
• Develop economic impact studies concerning the cost and benefits of a recommended course of action and alternative strategies.
• Design, execute, and/or provide technical consultation on studies to evaluate effectiveness of various procedures for pre-and post-entry clearance of goods.
• Review work plans, research proposals, experimental plans, manuscripts, and proposed PPQ protocols to ensure that procedures are statistically valid and meaningful.