- Position Title
- Plant Protection and Quarantine Officer (Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist)
- Agency
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- Announcement Number
- MP-12753750-25-PQH Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Friday, June 27, 2025 to Thursday, July 3, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. Your answers will be used to determine your eligibility to apply to this job opportunity announcement. You will be considered under the eligibility option(s) to which you answer YES. Select YES to all eligibility options for which you want to be considered. If you respond NO to meeting the criteria for all the eligibilities, you will not be considered for the position(s) under this announcement.
NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.
NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.
1.
Are you a current Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment?
2.
Are you a Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment AND you have held or currently hold a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?
3.
Are you a current USDA employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, in which received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF)? If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
4.
Have you registered for reemployment consideration AND meet one of the below:
• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating?
OR
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating?
OR
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
5.
Reasonable Accommodations for taking the online assessments are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Do you have a disability (physical or mental) that you believe will interfere with completing the online assessments and require a Reasonable Accommodation?
Preferences
1.
Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location.
2.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
3.
Are you a retiree receiving a civilian Federal or FSA County Annuity?
4.
Have you ever received a voluntary separation incentive payment (VSIP or buyout) to leave the Federal civilian service or FSA County position?
5.
Are you a current or former: Political appointee, Presidential appointee, and/or non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointee?
6.
Are you a federal employee receiving a recruitment, relocation, retention and/or other incentive payment?
7.
Once a selection is made for this position, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with other hiring managers in the agency who have similar vacancies. Please opt in below if you're willing to have your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for additional, similar positions. There is no guarantee of for further consideration.
Core Questions
1.
Has your work schedule been full-time, i.e., 35-40 hours per week, for every position listed on your resume or OF-612?
If yes, please type Yes.
If no, please type No and include the following in your response for all positions held: position title, employer, dates employed (MM/DD/YY), work schedule (i.e., Full-Time (FT), Part-Time (PT), etc.), and hours/week. Please list in order with current/most recent position first.
Failure to provide all requested information may prevent us from giving credit for experience.
If yes, please type Yes.
If no, please type No and include the following in your response for all positions held: position title, employer, dates employed (MM/DD/YY), work schedule (i.e., Full-Time (FT), Part-Time (PT), etc.), and hours/week. Please list in order with current/most recent position first.
Failure to provide all requested information may prevent us from giving credit for experience.
2.
I understand for information on the status of my application and the outcome of the application process, I (the applicant) must inquire through USAJOBS. No separate notification will be sent to me. To view the status of my application and the outcome of the application process, I must go to the USAJOBS website and log into My Account. Once in My Account, I must enter the "Application Status" section of the website.
3.
I understand submission of supporting documentation, e.g., transcripts, DD 214, 50B, performance appraisal may be required for this position. I also understand that my application will not be considered if the required supporting documentation is not submitted or is not submitted in accordance with the time frames indicated in the announcement.
4.
I understand that any correspondence necessary will be conducted via e-mail and sent to the e-mail address I provided in this application process. I must keep this e-mail address current.
5.
I understand that if I am a current or former federal employee, I must submit an SF-50 showing my career/career-conditional status AND a performance appraisal dated within 18 months or as statement detailing the reason for not submitting the appraisal as part of the application package.
6.
If you are, or ever were, a federal civilian employee in a permanent position in the competitive service, what is the highest grade level you held, excluding temporary promotions? (Please include the pay plan, e.g. GS-7, WG-10, or NA for not applicable).
(limit 250 characters)
7.
If you are, or ever were, a federal civilian employee, please indicate the start date and end dates of the highest graded permanent positions you held, excluding temporary promotions (e.g. MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY, MM/YYYY to present, or NA for not applicable).
(limit 250 characters)
8.
Do you possess a current driver's license from one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or territories or possessions of the United States?
If you respond yes to this question and you are interviewed, you must be prepared to present your driver's license as confirmation.
If you respond yes to this question and you are interviewed, you must be prepared to present your driver's license as confirmation.
9.
I understand that competitive eligible applicants are required to complete all of the assigned assessments including the online USA Hire assessment, non-competitive eligible applicants are not required to complete the online USA Hire assessment, and if I am unsure of my eligibility status, I should complete all of the assigned assessments including the online USA Hire assessment.
Short Essay Questions
The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
1.
How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
(limit 1,200 characters)
2.
In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
(limit 1,200 characters)
3.
How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
(limit 1,200 characters)
4.
How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.
(limit 1,200 characters)
5.
I certify that the above responses are in my own words and I did not use a consultant or Artificial Intelligence (such as a large language model (LLM)).
Assessment 1
1.
0401 Basic Requirement - Choose the one answer that best describes your education and experience.
2.
GS-7 - In addition to the basic requirement, choose one answer that best describes your education and experience.
3.
GS-9 - In addition to the basic requirement, choose the one answer that best describes your education and experience.
4.
GS-11 - In addition to the basic requirement, choose one answer that best describes your education and experience as described in the vacancy announcement.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
5.
Participating in survey activities to detect plant pests and/or plant diseases identified as an existing or potential threat to U.S. agricultural and/or economic interests.
6.
Participating in operations to control/eradicate plant pests/diseases as part of a plant pest/disease quarantine program.
7.
I have direct experience and am proficient at performing the following functions in carrying out projects and/or program initiatives for a Plant Protection and Quarantine Program:
8.
Technologies you have used independently to record, query, analyze, and report technical data:
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
9.
Identifying plant pests or insects using macroscopic/microscopic procedures and/or taxonomic guidelines.
10.
Preparing and executing compliance agreements with regulated establishments, cooperators, and / or treatment facilities.
11.
Applying and/or enforcing plant pest program laws and/or regulations.
12.
Initiating regulatory compliance actions in order to prevent, mitigate, or control the introduction and/or spread of plant pests?
13.
Conducting inspections of facilities, sites, locations, etc. to assess compliance with laws/regulations applicable to the protection of U.S. agriculture and the natural environment from invasive pests, genetically modified organisms, or prohibited agricultural products.
14.
I have initiated actions to accomplish the following in a plant protection and quarantine program based on my analysis of program activities:
14a.
If you responded that you have experience, e.g., response option A-E to the previous question, please indicate in the box below where this training and/or experience is represented on your resume. Please list only the relevant position title(s), organization(s), and dates held.
15.
Functions I have performed in developing the response to a plant pest/disease emergency in order to protect U.S. economic interests.
15a.
If you responded that you have experience, e.g., response option A-F to the previous question, please indicate in the box below where this training and/or experience is represented on your resume. Please list only the relevant position title(s), organization(s), and dates held.
16.
Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Submitting false information or attempts to falsify information may be grounds for disqualifying you or for terminating you after you have been hired. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.