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Summary You will serve as an agricultural commodity grader making the final grade determinations on products standardized under the federal laws and regulations and may perform weighing activities at grain handling facilities. You may rotate between all facilities within your assigned area and is responsible for knowledge of those facilities where Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) services are provided. Responsibilities 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: Determines the grade of grain and related commodities and makes independent decisions on difficult and borderline grade determinations. Conducts stowage examinations on ship holds, barges, hopper cars, and other containers to insure cleanliness and acceptability of storage and handling facilities. Inspects and check tests equipment and diverter samplers used for official inspection. Ensures accurate weights and accurate documentation of events that support the official weight certificates Acts as a lead and point of contact for elevator personnel and FGIS field management. May be required to be proficient in grading additional grains, be familiar with various types of material handling systems and weighing equipment, and perform the full range of weighing activities. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 three years of progressively responsible experience, one year of which was equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (equivalent to the GS-04 level) (experience may have been obtained in private or public sectors), that demonstrates the ability to: Identify problems, gather pertinent data, or recognize solutions. Plan and organize work. Utilize office software such as: Adobe, Excel, Word. Experience must provide evidence of the skills shown above. General clerical experience (typing, filing, routine processing, or other non-specialized repetitive tasks) is not creditable. OR 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 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Inspect / Grade products utilizing grading standards and regulations. Draws samples of product. Prepares reports that include conclusions. OR 1 full year of graduate level education in Agriculture, Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Business, Economics, or related subjects; 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 institutionAND1) 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. 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 LEVELS: 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 There is no education requirement. 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. 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. This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit (union). 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. Requires prolonged periods of standing, walking, stooping, bending, and climbing. Requires ability to detect abnormalities in the grain/commodity through normal or corrected vision in at least one eye for distance and depth perception. Requires the ability to assure safety in a highly mechanized noisy environment through adequate or correctable hearing; and the ability to determine product qualities through smell. The work involves regular and recurring work in grain elevators in rice mills, processed product plants, rail yards, dock loading and unloading facilities, and various warehouses. Grain elevators are subject to explosive dust, vibration, excessive/constant noise, and slippery and uneven walking surfaces. Some work is performed outdoors under varying weather conditions. The work is often conducted around moving equipment such as moving conveyor belts. The work environment further requires working in close proximity to others and/or alone. Requires working on weekends, nights, holidays and overtime; travel; and changing/rotating shifts. This position involves Mobile Work: Mobile work is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite. Examples of mobile work include site audits, site inspections, investigations, property management, and work performed while commuting, traveling between worksites, or on Temporary Duty (TDY). Requires periods of physical exertion to obtain samples involving climbing onto trucks, barges, hopper cars, man lifts, etc., using probes, pelicans, and similar sampling devices; and moving and lifting grain bags or sacks weighing up to 55 pounds.