Agriculture Marketing Specialist - Intern (Regulatory Agriculture Investigator)

The Agriculture Investigator intern position with the Packers and Stockyards Division is open to students who have minimally completed 2 full academic years (60 semester or 90 quarter hours) of post-high school study or an associate's degree. The internship has been designed to be converted into full time positions upon graduation if the requirements of the internship have been successfully met. 

The Packers and Stockyards Division operates within the Fair Trade Practices Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA. The Packers and Stockyards Division (PSD) monitors the activities of the livestock and poultry industry by conducting regulatory compliance reviews and investigations to determine whether subject persons and firms are complying with the Packers and Stockyards Act and regulations. As an Investigative Agent you will be responsible for completing a wide variety of investigative tasks, forensic analysis, direct surveillance, and related work in support of PSD's mission.

Description: The incumbent of this position will be part of the Pathways Program and serve as a Student Intern (Agricultural Marketing Specialist) in the Regional Office within the assigned region and is primarily responsible for reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating documents pertaining to investigations of potential violators of the Act. Under close supervision, the employee may perform the following duties:

• Assists senior-level staff in identifying issues to prevent or correct unfair practices in the livestock, meat, and poultry industries and determines the need for bonding and registration.
• Assists in reviewing scale test reports received in the regional office to determine regulatory accuracy and completeness of forms.
• Assists senior-level staff in investigating persons or firms subject to the Act to determine whether their operations conform with the Act and regulations by reviewing and preparing documents and identifying discrepancies.
• Assist with updating the swine contract library.
• Assists in examining financial and operating records to determine evidence of compliance or noncompliance.
• Review previous investigation reports, formal orders and stipulations, and annual and special reports submitted by subject persons or firms to determine if financial practices and conditions comply with the requirements of the Act and regulation.
• Assists in preparing regulatory and investigation reports and notices of violations or findings of noncompliance.
• Works with Marketing Specialists on issues concerning official administrative actions.
• Assists senior-level staff with handling complaints from livestock, poultry, and meat marketing industry members.
• Assists and supports the senior-level staff in preparing regional office work plans, schedules, and developing and applying regulatory and investigation activity procedures.
• Assists the senior-level staff in preparing exhibits and other essential materials for preparing and presenting the investigative case.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work will be a combination of office tasks and field-based assignments.