Technical Information Specialist

US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Fort Collins seeks an Information Specialist to support the Plant Protection Quarantine and DHS CBP missions. The role involves creating and managing databases, interfaces, and information systems to connect customers with the information they seek.

The candidate will prepare plain-language summaries, organize agency information, and assist in updates that improve customer satisfaction while ensuring accessibility and compliance with governance

Qualifications

• Requires a full 4-year bachelor’s degree with major in Library Sciences, Information Sciences, Biological Sciences, or related field.
• Four years of experience demonstrating knowledge of research, analysis, and basic disciplinary principles.
• Combination of education and experience acceptable.
• GS-09 level requires one year of specialized experience in organizing information and producing user-friendly materials.

Responsibilities

• Prepare clear summaries of technical and regulatory content for broad audiences.
• Organize and update information across agency systems to improve search results and retrieval time.
• Draft content and gather feedback to implement updates that improve customer satisfaction.
• Conduct accessibility reviews, security checks, lifecycle updates, and governance tasks within timelines.

Skills

Content curation

Information organization

User-focused information products

Accessibility reviews

Search optimization

Education

Bachelor's in Library Sciences

Bachelor's in Information Sciences

Bachelor's in Biological Sciences

Graduate degree (MS/MLIS)

Tools

Content management systems

Database systems

Job description

This position provides services to facilitate the overall missions of Plant Protection Quarantine (PPQ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP), agencies that are responsible for protecting the health of U.S. plant and animal resources and facilitating their movement in the global marketplace. Position will be responsible for creating and managing databases, interfaces, and information systems that connect customers with the information they seek. 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: Education:

A full 4-year course of study that meets all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with major study in Library Sciences, Information Sciences, Biological Sciences, or closely related field.

Or
Experience:

Four years of experience that provided a knowledge of the basic principles, theories, practices, techniques, and terminology of a discipline or subject-matter field; an understanding of the standard methods, procedures, and techniques of research and analysis in the subject-matter field; and where appropriate, ability to read and comprehend nontechnical material in one or more foreign languages. Such experience must have been equivalent to that which would have been gained through a 4-year college curriculum.

OR

A combination of education and experience as described above.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate the below:

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:

• Supporting agricultural science projects by preparing clear summaries of technical and regulatory content, producing plain-language materials consistently accepted by supervisors.
• Organizing and updated information across agency systems; completed curation tasks that improved search results or reduced user retrieval time.
• Assisting in developing user-focused information products by drafting content, gathering feedback, and helping implement updates that improved customer satisfaction or reduced inquiries.
• Completing assignments involving accessibility reviews, security checks, lifecycle updates, and governance tasks, ensuring digital content met agency and government-wide requirements within established timelines.

OR

2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree, e.g., LL.B. or J.D., in, Library Sciences, Information Sciences, Biological Sciences, or closely related field.

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-09 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.