Agronomist (Farm Manager)

Agricultural Research Service • Prairie Du Sac, WI

10d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center (USDFRC), in Prairie du Sac, WI. The purpose of this position is to serve as the superintendent of the USDFRC research farm. The incumbent will provide effective and efficient management of the resources in support of the dairy forage research program.

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.
• Federal payments must be made by direct deposit.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Must serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable.
• Valid Motor Vehicle Driver's License is required.
• Pesticide Applicators License is required.
• Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management.
• OR Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
• Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy.
• Course work in such subjects as botany, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant breeding or genetics, plant ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, agronomy, or those dealing with basic soil-water-plant relationships of an agronomic or ecologic nature may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic plant sciences.
• Agronomy courses include agronomy, field crops, field crop production or management, soil and crop management, plant breeding and development, weed control, and similar courses, including those in soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, etc., provided they dealt with principles, methods, or procedures that are applied directly in agronomic work and in the solving of agronomic problems.
• GS-11 Specialized experience: assisting in coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, wheat or other row crops or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; assisting in coordinating or executing crop or dairy farm management tasks; keeping farm records, including field crop production and input records; and assisting in managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility.
• GS-11 OR Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the duties of the position.
• GS-12 Specialized experience: coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, and wheat or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; maintaining crop field production and input records; managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility; and performing crop consulting.

Nice To Haves

• Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Responsibilities

• Manages a wide range of crop and forage production and supports the forage and feed requirements of a large-scale research dairy operation.
• Participates in the development of a holistic, integrated farm management plan in cooperation with an internal advisory team coordinated by the Center Director.
• Performs timely and accurate financial planning, budgeting and accounting for the farm in cooperation with the Center Director and the USDA-ARS Accounting Officer and team.
• Adapts and applies the best technologies available for agronomic operations including GPS systems, remote sensing technologies, and others as relevant.
• Coordinates all maintenance activities at the USDFRC farm.
• Provides information to visitors to the USDFRC farm, which includes leading pre-approved tours of the facility, answering inquiries and providing leadership for public events hosted by the farm.

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree