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Entomologist (Identifier) -PATHWAYS "Recent Graduate" - Texas - *Please Note Specific Degree Requirements*

Hello and thanks for your interest in a career with USDA APHIS PPQ. Please note this is an Outreach Notice to make you aware of a vacancy in Laredo, Texas.

Salary $54,783 - $79,446+

Please note this vacancy is only open until Midnight EST on June 21st.

This is a Pathways "recent graduate" Career Development Position. These appointments are intended to last for 1 year. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the USDA Recent Graduates Program requirements (training classes, 1 year of satisfactory work, mentoring, etc.) may be non-competitively converted to a Term or Permanent appointment in the competitive service. Conversion is not guaranteed. Recent Graduates converted to Term appointments may later be non-competitively converted to a Permanent competitive service position.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree in 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, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE:
Applicants must meet the following specialized experience and/or education requirements listed below:

EDUCATION GS-09: 2 years of graduate-level education leading to a master's degree in entomology or a related discipline.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.




In this position you will provide expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers. You will also review, evaluate and suggest modifications of inspection or trapping methodologies and approaches as an enhancement to plant pest and plant disease surveillance systems.

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:
  • Identifies or verifies identification of plant pests such as insects, some arachnids, and mollusks to genera and species and the family level.
  • Refers some pests to National Identifiers, when virtually no pertinent reference material is available or the interception is particularly unusual.
  • Monitors samples submitted for identification, pest interception, survey data, and pest detection techniques.
  • Maintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
  • Determines options for quarantine actions to be enforced by DHS and PPQ.
  • Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of and procedures for detecting plant pests.
  • Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.

I wish you the best in all your career pursuits! Please reach out to me with any recruiting questions.

Best,

Tom Colarusso

Thomas.W.Colarusso@usda.gov

USDA APHIS PPQ

Outreach and Recruitment

Call/ Text: 518-420-9779