Summary

This position is located in the Specialty Crops Program, Specialty Crops Market News Division field office. The assigned office is responsible for collecting, analyzing, preparing, and releasing market news data for fresh fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops. In this position, you will serve as a Market Reporter responsible for covering a large portion of assigned markets with increasing responsibility at each grade level.

This job is open to

• Recent graduatesIndividuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.

Clarification from the agency

Recent graduate who has, within the previous two years, completed a qualifying Associate’s, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation have up to six years after degree completion to apply.

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:
• Collect, analyze and disseminate daily market information for fruits and vegetables.
• Contacts the many firms by face-to-face or telephone interviews, in collecting and analyzing information relative to general and specific market conditions.
• Reconciles each price quotation to the originating growing area by commodity unit of sale, size, variety, grade and other distinguishing factors.
• Studies daily and seasonal operations as well as market reports from various widely scattered and distant production areas.
• Prepares and disseminates a number of daily, weekly, monthly, and special market reports covering local sales on the wholesale market or information that may be of interest to the trade.
• Keeps abreast of general economic informational material and new developments and trends in the marketing of fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops

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.
• Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year trial period.
• 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Selectee will be subject to a pre-employment medical statement and/or exam.
• 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.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment.

Qualifications

To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements,

• Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years,

OR

• Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met.

QUALIFYING WITH GENERAL EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-05 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have three years of general experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (GS-04). This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors, may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work, and it demonstrates the ability to:

1. Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions.
2. Plan and organize work.
3. Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

OR

QUALIFYING EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION AT THE GS-05 GRADE LEVEL: Bachelor’s degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-05 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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (GS-05). This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Examples of qualifying experience include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the methods, principles, techniques and requirements pertaining to the reporting of market news covering agricultural products; use of information technology to compile, track, and analyze data.
• Reconciling quotations to the originating growing area by commodity, unit of sale, size, variety, and other distinguishing factors.

OR

Education Substitution for GS-07: One full year of graduate level education in Marketing, Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business, or related field. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of a 4-year degree with a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher for all courses or 3.5 or higher for courses within the major field or standing within the top third of a graduating class, or membership in a national scholastic honor society.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service (GS-07). This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Examples of qualifying experience include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the methods, principles, techniques and requirements pertaining to the reporting of market news covering agricultural products; use of information technology to compile, track, and analyze data.
• Reconciling quotations to the originating growing area by commodity, unit of sale, size, variety, and other distinguishing factors.
• Working knowledge of the agricultural commodity market reporting and analysis process.
• Recognition of types of commodity containers, the production areas which they are provide, the grade and quality, color, pack, size, appearance, unit of sale, and price inclusion services.

OR

Education Substitution for GS-09: Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master’s or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in Marketing, Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business, or related.

Combining Education and Experience at GS-07/09 levels: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Computed by first determining the applicant’s total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant’s education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-09.

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.

Transcripts including the date your degree was conferred are required. Applications will not be considered without this documentation.

Additional information

• Recent Graduate appointments are intended to last for 1 year. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the USDA Recent Graduates Program requirements 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.
• If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty.
• A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty.
• 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 eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the duty location of the position. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
• Possibility of conversion to a term or permanent position, with promotion potential to the GS-11 level. Conversion eligibility and position is not guaranteed and depends upon the program unit’s needs.
• Market news work requires prolonged periods of standing, walking, and climbing, as well as the ability to detect abnormalities in commodities being offered for sale.
• The majority of work is performed in a typical office setting but some work may be performed outside with exposure to inclement weather, slippery docks, power lift equipment, high noise levels and similar risks. Occasional visits to farms and packing sheds and travel to perform temporary relief in other offices is required.

CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS Recent Graduates may be non-competitively converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service. To be eligible for conversion the Recent Graduate must meet all of the following:

• Successfully complete at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program as outlined in the Participant Agreement.
• Demonstrate successful job performance.
• Meet the qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. The following quality categories will be used: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans’ preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Your final category placement will be based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or 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/12167082

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.
• College Transcripts: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; 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.
• 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. Veterans’ preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran’s preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
• 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

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

• Salary$41,996 – $82,720 per year
• Pay scale & gradeGS 5 – 9