Botanist

US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeks a highly skilled taxonomy specialist to perform advanced plant identification, risk analysis, and policy support. You will collaborate with import policy staff, survey groups, and CAPS program managers in a specialized taxonomic role.

Responsibilities include genus-level identification using taxonomy and microscopy, preserving specimens, and contributing to regulatory decisions.

Qualifications

• Botany degree or 24 semester hours in botany.
• Specialized experience interpreting import requirements and enforcing orders.
• Experience with plant taxonomy and microscopy.
• Ability to preserve botanical specimens and seeds.

Responsibilities

• Perform specialized taxonomic work based on subject matter expertise.
• Advise importing policy staff, survey design groups, and CAPS program managers.
• Identify plants to genus level using taxonomy and microscopy.
• Preserve botanical plant specimens and seeds.

Skills

Taxonomy expertise

Risk analysis

Policy advisory

Botany knowledge

Team collaboration

Education

Botany degree

Master's in Botany

PhD in Botany

Tools

Dissecting microscope

Scanning Electron Microscope

Microscopy imaging

Taxonomic databases

Job description

The primary responsibility of the incumbent is to perform specialized and difficult taxonomic work based on major subject matter expertise. The incumbent provides expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to Agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

1. Degree: botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany.

   OR

2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may be been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Interpreting and applying federal import requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for import. Interpreting and applying foreign requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for export.
• Enforcing Federal and/or State regulatory orders to restrict movement, and/or issue certificates permitting movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas, and/or ensure that prohibited material is seized and disposed of in accordance with established procedures.
• Using knowledge of plant taxonomy and microscopy and available literature to identify plants specimens to genus level.
• Properly preserving botanical plant specimens and seeds.

OR

2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's equivalent graduate degree in the fields of botany.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL:

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Utilizing accepted taxonomic databases and contemporary taxonomic literature for identification and treatment work.
• Dissecting microscope and microscopic digital imaging systems to aid in seed identification and for cataloguing seed collections.
• Utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope to advance and refine taxonomic identification of seeds.
• Maintaining, developing, and supplementing information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.
• Developing and maintaining specimen collections of plant pests.

OR

3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. in Botany or equivalent doctoral degree.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS

are required if:

• This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
• You are qualifying for the position based on education.
• You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
• This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-11 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.