Agricultural Science Research Technician

Agricultural Research Service • Brownwood, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Crop Germplasm Research Unit located in Brownwood, TX. In this position, you will be performing a variety of technical duties to help facilitate the research and development of improved pecan cultivars for productive use by U.S. farmers. This includes operating farm and irrigation equipment to manage and maintain approximately 250 acres of pecan orchards.

Requirements

• Must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable.
• Motor Vehicle or Commercial Driver's License Required.
• Pesticide Applicators License Required for State of Texas within 6 months of hire.
• GS-06 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience collecting samples for a plant research project; organizing scientific data; and operating standard farm equipment (including but not limited to tractors, sprayers, shredders, plows, and rakes).
• GS-07 Specialized Experience: 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 collecting samples for a plant research project; compiling scientific data; and operating irrigation and specialized farm equipment (specialized equipment including but not limited to skid steers, harvesters, bucket-lifts, backhoes, bulldozers, and crop sprayers).
• GS-08 Specialized Experience: 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 perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience processing samples for a plant research project; analyzing or summarizing scientific data; and utilizing or maintaining irrigation infrastructure and specialized plant-related farming equipment (specialized plant equipment including but not limited to tree shakers, harvesters, row sweepers, air-blast sprayers, tree hedgers, chippers, mulchers, and tree-spades).

Nice To Haves

• Related degrees may include Crop Science, Horticulture, Environmental Science, Agronomy, Biological Sciences, Plant Pathology, Forestry, Agricultural Science, Ecology, Entomology, or Genetics.

Responsibilities

• Collects, prepares, evaluates and verifies pecan samples and supporting records.
• Uses agricultural equipment to plant, maintain, and harvest pecan orchards.
• Participates in one or more phases of the crop research process by performing a variety of complex technical duties.
• Collects crop data, maintains crop records, and compiles crop data and other information from various sources.
• Performs planting, spraying, irrigation, and harvesting of pecan orchards using specialized farm equipment.
• Tabulates, statistically analyzes, and summarizes data using personal computers and software packages.
• Safely disposes of waste material (both chemical and biological).
• Manages and maintains 250 acres of pecan orchards in addition to data and sample collection duties.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
• Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed