Horticulturist

Summary This position is located with D.K.I. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Tropical Plant Genetic Resources & Disease Research Unit in Hilo, HI. The incumbent will serve as the Support Scientist at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Sub-Tropical, and Tropical Fruit, Nuts and Beverage Crops. Learn more about this agency Help Overview Accepting applications Open & closing dates 12/05/2024 to 12/09/2024 Salary $75,640 - $117,856 per year Pay scale & grade GS 11 - 12 Help Location 1 vacancy in the following location: Hilo, HI Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Travel Required Not required Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Competitive Promotion potential 14 Job family (Series) 0437 Horticulture Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Trust determination process Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure No Bargaining unit status No Announcement number ARS-D25PWA mds Control number Help This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee. Clarification from the agency US Citizens and Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required. Videos Help Duties Serves as curator for genetic resources managed by the Pacific Tropical/Subtropical Fruit and Nut Genetic Resource Management and Sustainable Production Systems Research Project. Based on experimental evidence and professional judgment, determines germplasm accessions to be added or eliminated from collections. Coordinates with ARS colleagues in National Plant Germplasm System to have collections backed up at other locations and back up their core collections at the Hilo gene bank. Plans and executes long-range goals and is an integral part of the ARS National Program 301, Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement. Help Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a US Citizen or US National Males born 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 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. Basic Qualifications SERIES-GS-0437 Degree: horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post-harvest handling of horticultural crops. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture, and similar courses may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in basic plant sciences. The 16-semester-hour requirement in horticulture includes course work in basic horticulture and course work related to any of the recognized subject-matter fields of horticulture, i.e., fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, nursery work, seed production, or course work in related areas of science, such as micro-biology, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, or genetics that is directly related to horticultural work. AND Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and which provided the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. GS-11: Experience:The qualification requirements for this position at the GS-11 grade level includes one-year specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or its non-federal equivalent, preserving and propagating clonal and seed propagated tropical/subtropical fruit and related species collections and keeping up to date with scientific literature pertaining to the genetic diversity, preservation, genetic characterization, and evaluation. OR Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR Combination of Education & Experience GS12 Experience: The qualification requirements for this position at the GS-12 grade level includes one-year specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or its non-federal equivalent, experience with the maintenance, evaluation, characterization, and distribution of germplasm; assisting with proposals to acquire support for national germplasm collection and making presentations on crops, developments, and activities to grower, civic, and industry groups. Physical Demands: The majority of the work is in the office. Some activity requires moving and lifting boxes, large trays, and carts of seed weighing up to 50 pounds with appropriate support. Storage area is maintained at -18 C where some work is done. Work with liquid nitrogen is also necessary. Travel to maintain professional contacts and develop strategies for seed germplasm conservation is also required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office, laboratories, walk-in freezers, cryotanks with liquid nitrogen, field sites, international settings and greenhouse situations that require safety precautions. Work in the laboratory requires wearing protective gear (clothing, masks, gloves, etc.). Recommended standard safety and health precautions are employed during all operations. 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), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP 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/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. 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. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Read more 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. How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies: Horticultural/Genetics Sciences, Leadership, Project Management, and Technical Competence Horticultural/Genetics Sciences Leadership Project Management Technical Competence Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position . click apply for full job details