Plant Protection Technician

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

In this position, you will perform a variety of inspection, survey, control, and regulatory functions to restrict the movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. FOR THE GS-04 LEVEL:
Applicants must have six months of general experience AND six months of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level in the Federal Service. General experience is any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of the position or that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

Specialized experience is that which is described below:
Inspecting nursery plants for the presence of a specific plant pest. Surveying areas for specific plant pests or for the presence of alternate plant hosts. Developing rough maps showing control or eradication treatment completed, areas surveyed, or pest finds located. Performing survey control or eradication procedures in a local pest control program. Answering questions regarding plant pest control procedures, harmful side-effects of pesticides to other living organisms, etc.

Inspecting vehicles in the enforcement of plant quarantine regulations. Performing laboratory work involved with raising and/or sterilizing various insects. OR EDUCATION AT THE GS-4 GRADE LEVEL:
Successful completion of a 2 year course of study above the high school level from an accredited college or university, that included at least 8 semester hours in courses such biology, plant pathology, entomology, zoology, botany, forestry, chemistry, agriculture, or physics. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if:
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-04 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, Ameri Corps) 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.

• Board aircraft to inspect for and to remove prohibited or restricted items such as plants, fruits, plant pests and animal products which are regulated under applicable Quarantine laws.
• Initial screening of air passengers' baggage at preclearance counters or upon customs referral for plant and animal products and removal when found.
• Proper safeguarding and transporting intercepted contraband materials to a designated inspection point for further pest detection by the professional staff.
• Contacts landowners, tenants, farmers, etc; for the purpose of securing permission to enter property and conduct previously agreed upon survey, control, and/or eradication activities.
• Inspects and surveys properties for the presence of harmful insects, plants, and plant diseases, using traps or other approved survey methods.
• Uses standardized procedures, conducts the treatment of, elimination of, or removal of infested, infected, or susceptible plants; the fumigation or treatment of equipment, plants and soils.
• Assists with the enforcement of approved Federal or State quarantines and…