Agricultural Commodity Grader (Fruit and Vegetable)

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: 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 Requirements Conditions 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/ 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.
Ability to work in an environment with exposure to freezing and/or hot temperatures, fumes, dust and odors, slippery surfaces, moving materials, handling equipment, high noise levels 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).
You must be able to perform work that requires long 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).
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 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-04 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.
Note: 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: Performs grading, sampling and/or inspection assignments of a simple and routine nature.
Displays greater knowledge of grading principles, standards, and regulations, increased skill in identifying and describing product defect, and/or skill and knowledge in inspecting facilities.
Draws samples of product, performs mechanical tests, attends formal training courses in grading agricultural commodities, and grades samples.
Grades and inspects distinct products for comparison with clear standards and common contract specifications.
Identifies and describes common product defects 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).
Note: 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 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.
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 well qualified, which means having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies that exceed the minimum qualification requirements for this position.
First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid.
Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
Promotion Potential: 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.
Worksite Information: This position is located at the duty station(s) listed in this vacancy announcement and is not eligible for telework or remote work.
Benefits 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.
This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any specialized experience and/or selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official.
Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, your application is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements.
A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible.
Please follow all instructions carefully.
Errors or omissions may affect your rating.
Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12310842 Benefits 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.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc.
Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications; and 5) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not they may be contacted for reference checks.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.
S.
education program.
For further information, visit the following: Foreign Education Evaluation.
All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Although veterans' preference doesn't apply under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of their eligibility.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.
If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service.
If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
The SF-15 should be included but is not required.
Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal that is at least fully successful or its equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.
S.
C.
8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
How to Apply Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.
m.
Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.
m.
- 4:00p.
m.
, Monday - Friday).
If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method.
All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.
usajobs.
gov.
It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes.
If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account.
You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met.
In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required.
You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open.
Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status.
" Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred.
However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents.
Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX).
Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Agency contact information MRP Human Resources Phone 612-336-3227 Email MRP.
Application.
Help@usda.
gov Address Agricultural Marketing Service USDA APHIS MRPBS 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401 US Next steps If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, your will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected.
Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official.
If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.
We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer.
An applicant may submit a compliant or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act.
The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance.
To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to MRP.
Fairchance@usda.
gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc.
Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications; and 5) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not they may be contacted for reference checks.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.
S.
education program.
For further information, visit the following: Foreign Education Evaluation.
All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Although veterans' preference doesn't apply under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of their eligibility.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.
If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service.
If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
The SF-15 should be included but is not required.
Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal that is at least fully successful or its equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.
S.
C.
8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Help This job is open to Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency Applications will be accepted from any U.
S.
citizen.
Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position.
Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.