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USDA Agricultural Commodity Grader

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
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Get your foot in the door for a permanent Federal job! The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for a permanent Federal position in our Salem, OR office. If you are selected, you will be trained to be a USDA Agricultural Commodity Grader to inspect fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops in the Salem, OR area.  Applications are due by 11:59 EST, October 3, 2024.

 

DUTIES

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Specialty Crops Program (SCP), Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division is responsible for developing U.S. grade standards and providing inspection, grading, certification, and audit-based services nation-wide on a user-fee basis for fresh and processed fruits and vegetables and related products. In this position, you will serve as a grader at an inspection point, processing facility or area office lab.

  • 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:
  • Selects representative samples from the product lots in accordance with prescribed sampling and plans.
  • Inspects products to determine the quality, condition, and/or compliance with U.S. Grade Standards or stated contract specifications.
  • Prepares and maintains a variety of reports related to production data and grading results.
  • Makes observations to determine if plant facilities, operating methods, processing equipment and personnel are in compliance with SCI sanitation requirements and FDA regulations.
  • Observes raw product material to establish the suitability for processing and advises plant management of the results

QUALIFICATIONS

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-05 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have 3 years of general, progressively responsible experience, one year of which was equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-4 level in the Federal service. Experience must demonstrate the ability to:

  • Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions.
  • Plan and organize work.
  • Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Such experience may have been gained in quality assurance (machinist, on-line production work), as a commodity buyer, receiving clerk, farm experience (in a managerial, decision- making capacity), clerical (office manager, administrative assistant with decision-making responsibility), or food processing laboratory food work (managerial, technical). Experience must provide evidence of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position and show decision making responsibilities.

General clerical experience (typing, filing, routine processing, or other non-specialized repetitive tasks) is not creditable.

OR Applicants must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study, from an accredited college or university, leading to a bachelor's degree.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level) that demonstrates:

  • Grades and inspects product utilizing grading standards and regulations.
  • Draws samples of product.
  • Identifies and describes common product defects and/or diseases

OR One full year of graduate level education in Agriculture, Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Business, Economics or a related field.

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 1) have a class standing in the upper third of the graduating class, 2) membership in a national scholastic honor society (excluding Freshman honor societies), or 3) must meet certain GPA requirements. GPA requirements: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcripts or as computed based on 4 years of education, or courses completed during the final 2 year of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required course completed in the major field or courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum (GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, e.g., 2.95 rounds to 3.0 and 2.94 rounds to 2.9).

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

  • You are qualifying for the position based on education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
  • You are qualifying for this position based on Superior Academic Achievement.
  • This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-05/07 GRADE LEVELS: 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.

RequirementsConditions 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.
  • 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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
  • Selectee will be subject to a pre-employment medical statement and/or exam.
  • Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
  • Prior to an official offer, selectee will be required to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) acknowledging/accepting that geographic mobility is a condition of employment. Failure to sign the MOU will result in withdrawal of the job offer.
  • 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.
  • Ability to work in an environment with exposure to freezing and/or hot temperatures, fumes, dust and odors from coolants, slippery surfaces, moving materials, handling equipment, high noise level and in close proximity to others.
  • The work further requires working on weekends and overtime; traveling for extended periods of time; working multiple shifts and changing/rotating shifts (i.e., first, second and third).
  • Requires periods of physical exertion to lift and move boxes, cartons and heavy packages of product (often weighing over 50 pounds).
  • Prolonged periods of standing, walking, stooping, bending, and climbing; physical coordination and finger dexterity in at least one hand to perform digital examinations of commodities.
  • Normal or corrected vision in at least one eye for distance, depth perception, and color to detect abnormalities in product.
  • The ability to assure safety in a highly-mechanized and/or noisy environment through adequate or correctable hearing.
  • Use of both legs, arms and hands to perform carrying, pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, kneeling, grasping, and working with hands in water.
  • The ability to determine product quality organoleptically (e.g., through sight, smell and/or taste).

 

APPLY NOW! 

We are accepting applications for these positions through 10/8/2024. Please e-mail PII protected copies of your transcripts and resume to peter.scarabelli@usda.gov .