Supervisory Agriculturist (Lab Director)

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Buzzards Bay (MA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

The incumbent directs a large laboratory charged with scientific research and technology development critical to USDA's mission of safeguarding plant and animal resources from exotic pests and diseases.

For the GS-15 level, the role requires extensive experience managing staff and budgets, coordinating with universities and public/private partners, and applying leadership to solve complex organizational challenges.

Qualifications

• BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
• Combination of education and experience allowed to meet total qualifications.
• GS-15 level requires one year of specialized experience at GS-14 level demonstrating leadership, budgeting, and complex problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Formulates and achieves short- and long-range goals for laboratory operations.
• Establishes laboratory priorities, develops project plans, allocates resources, and manages formal agreements.
• Collaborates with national and international partners to meet customer needs and improve plant health outcomes.
• Designates project leaders and oversees assignment of work to scientists and support staff.
• Reviews resource needs and administers budgets and staffing proposals.
• Analyzes laboratory processes and ensures efficient operations and utilization of resources.
• Oversees work measurement tools and maintains quality across outputs.
• Ensures coordination with PPQ safeguarding efforts and agency-wide initiatives.

Job description

Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service

Job Summary

The incumbent directs a large laboratory charged with scientific research and technology development critical to USDA's mission of safeguarding plant and animal resources from exotic pests and diseases.

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. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: 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. FOR THE GS-15 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-14 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Experience managing the staff and budget of a multi-disciplinary unit that applies advanced scientific concepts, practices, standards, and methods to solving plant health or plant quarantine challenges. Ability to communicate routinely and appropriately, orally and in writing, with senior management, subordinate employees, and diverse stakeholders, partners, and customers regarding complex plant health or plant quarantine issues. Ability to apply critical thinking, decision making, and leadership toward identifying and resolving complex organizational problems and achieving measurable improvement. Ability to critically evaluate, correctly interpret, and ensure quality of scientific or technical publications, project plans, funding proposals, research reports, and other similar documents. Experience establishing and maintaining successful cooperative relations or partnerships with universities and other public and private organizations involved in plant health or plant quarantine research and development. Note: There is no education substitution 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. 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.

Major Duties

• Formulates and achieves short and long-range goals concerning laboratory operations.
• Establishes laboratory priorities, oversees the development of project plans, resolves resource allocation issues; and manages formal agreements.
• Continually re-identifies customers and work collaboratively to meet their needs while establishing critical liaison with national and international allied institutions.
• Manages the formal organizational structure of the laboratory with authority to design new positions, and restructure existing positions.
• Evaluates all resource needs of the laboratory, submits formal budgetary and staffing proposals, and is accountable for properly administering budget allocations.
• Analyzes work processes associated with the scientific work done at the laboratory.
• Designates project leaders and oversees the laboratory's system of assigning work to individual scientists and support staff.
• Oversees the organization's proper utilization of applicable work measurement tools.
• Continually reviews all lab activities to ensure effectiveness and synchronization with other PPQ safeguarding efforts and to ensure full utilization of Agency resources.

Position Start Date:

09/18/2026

Position Close Date:

09/24/2026

Salary Offered:

167560 - 197200 USD Per Year

You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response