The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) protects and promotes the health of America's agriculture and natural resources, regulates genetically engineered organisms, administers the Animal Welfare Act, and carries out wildlife damage management activities.

Position Start Date:

10/18/2023

Position Close Date:

10/24/2023

This position is with Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) and will report directly to the State Plant Health Director. You will work directly with Field Programs and State Cooperators on plant protection data protocols and program analytics. You will also provide data management and quality controls support to PPQ and cooperators grounded in an understanding of data management principles as well as provide technical expertise in the use of plant protection data.

Major Duties

The duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Serves as a technical support analyst in the collection, use, and validation of data from USDA, APHIS, PPQ, and other applications
• Provides guidance in the support of PPQ programs within the states
• Ensures that data are derived through or from pest surveys and inspections that incorporate approved protocols per PPQ National Programs using PPQ and Stakeholder data and systems
• Recommends protocols for sampling and handling diagnostic and/or lab data, data on control actions, and data pertaining to regulatory actions
• Recommends protocols for handling sensitive data, and shares data with external and/or internal parties while ensuring proper information security procedures are followed
• Provides data management support and consults with PPQ hub data analysts and data stewards to analyze requirements for data, and determine appropriate data collection and validation
• Provides onsite data management expertise and consultation to PPQ managers, and assists PPQ programs to determine data requirements for effective response measures
• Provides, creates, and develops various analysis and data reports as needed for use in pest management activities
• Provides training to personnel in the operation of systems or applications as they are implemented or as they are modified

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-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-9 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Recommending protocols for data collection and validation, sampling and handling data for pest survey, pest/plant quarantine and/or pest laboratory activities. Use of Business Intelligence applications (e.g. Such as MS Power BI Desktop or Tableau), SQL databases, relational database systems, geographic information systems (GIS) technology, computer graphics, Windows/IOS, Desktops, mobile devices, and web software sufficient to make protocol recommendations on the use of database and reporting tools to meet business need. Ensuring compliance with data management standards and recommending new or modified standards to ensure security and increase efficiency. Assisting and training users in data management systems, data quality, protocols, and other related technical information.

OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree related to the work of the position as described in the vacancy announcement. 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.

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.