Summary This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research Unit in Madison, WI. In this position, you will actively participate in one or more phases of the research process related to crops and pesticides by performing a variety of technical duties in a laboratory environment. Responsibilities Collect, prepare, evaluate, and catalog crop samples. Maintain, calibrate, and modify specialized equipment used to analyze pesticides and pesticide residues. Tabulate, statistically analyze, and summarize data using software packages including Microsoft Suite. Keep detailed records of experimental data and follow good laboratory practice standards. 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. GS-07: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience collecting or evaluating agricultural, biological, or chemical samples; keeping detailed records of experimental data; and operating basic laboratory equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of one full year of study leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree. Related degrees may include Agricultural or Environmental Engineering, Agronomy, Chemistry, Physics, or Soil Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-08: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-08 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting in one or more phases of the research process; cataloging agricultural, biological, or chemical samples; and operating laboratory equipment to collect data. OR Education: Successful completion of two full years of graduate level education or a master's degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Agricultural or Environmental Engineering, Agronomy, Chemistry, Physics, or Soil Science. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-09: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-08 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting an experiment related to characterization of crops and biological or chemical samples; interpreting and documenting experimental findings; and operating and maintaining laboratory equipment to collect and process experimental data. OR Education: Successful completion of two full years of graduate level education or a master's degree, if directly related to the position. Related degrees may include Agricultural or Environmental Engineering, Agronomy, Chemistry, Physics, or Soil Science OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. 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 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. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer. 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. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.