Summary As a Supervisory Plant Protection and Quarantine Officer, you serve in a vital role protecting the health, welfare and agricultural economy of the United States of America and to facilitate agricultural exports. You will supervise a staff of professional employees (e.g., Officers), administrative and a substantial, fluctuating work force of permanent and temporary technical/aid level employees in the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) and Domestic programs.
Duties Help
- 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:
- Implements regulatory, treatment, and/or inspection programs in order to facilitate exports of agricultural products.
- Plans and manages the technical approach for inspections, treatments, survey/eradication programs, and quarantine applications.
- Plans and organizes the work and training of subordinate employees; administers overtime; approves leave of subordinate employees.
- Prepares annual budget within given allocations ensuring supplies, equipment, and facilities are sufficient for program needs.
- Evaluates and reviews the work of the subordinates and formulates work accomplishment reports.
- Determines when additional staffing is required; initiates recruitment requests, conducts interviews, and makes selections.
- Conducts program assessments and develops long-range work plans at local levels.
Requirements Help
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.
- Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
- 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
- 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.
- Employees work alongside other inspection service agencies and encounter drug smugglers and criminals in the course of their inspections.
- Regulatory treatments require use of fumigants and chemicals requiring specialized safety equipment and formal training.
Qualifications 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: Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level) that demonstrates:
- Planning, organizing and providing expert support of import, export, survey and/or regulatory quarantine work for a plant pest and disease program. Prioritizes and monitors the progress of work, including adherence with applicable policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Providing general direction, guidance, feedback and coaching to co-workers.
- Planning and organizing work due to staffing fluctuations and changing circumstances.
- Analyzing, identifying and addressing potentially adverse operational issues at the lowest level, before they surface as major problems requiring greater intervention/escalation.
- Communicating complex issues, directions, guidance, and feedback. Applying political savvy to communicate both verbally and in writing with quarantine program employees and cooperators in local, state and other federal agencies.
OR Education : 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.
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:
- Planning, coordinating, and conducting all aspects of operational activities, including special programs, newly emerging programs or operational functions with subordinates, cooperators, industry and other government entities for a plant pest and disease program.
- Analyzing data and developing recommendations regarding solutions to technical problems.
- Managing the work of subordinates, developing and monitoring short and long-range work plans.
- Planning and managing the technical approach for inspections, treatments, survey/eradication programs, and quarantine applications for a plant pest and disease program. Initiating and modifying techniques and procedures to meet changing program requirements.
- Evaluating and reviewing the work of subordinates to meet program requirements through direct observation, report review, periodic spot-checks of work in progress and following up on problematic situations as they arise.
NOTE: There is no education substitution at this grade.
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): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
- 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.
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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.
Benefits Help
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.
