Agricultural Commodity Grader (Grain)

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. 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: Inspecting/ Grading products utilizing grading standards and regulations. Drawing samples of product. Prioritize assignments and meet targeted deadlines. 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.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Applying quality assurance principles and methods to maintain the integrity of the equipment program.

Utilizing official grain weighing and inspection processes including making independent decisions regarding normal daily weighing operations and evaluation. Applying chemical and physical test procedures to accurately and safely provide grading information. OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree in Agriculture, Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Business, Economics, or related subjects; OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.

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-05/07/09 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.

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.