Biological Scientist

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

In this position, you will work with scientists and technical personnel in the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Agricultural Research Service, universities, the private sector, and foreign organizations to develop, evaluate, enhance, and maintain the quality of Plant Protection and Quarantine's exclusion, detection, quarantine, eradication, treatment, inspection, and response programs.

Basic Requirement: Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: post‑high‑school education with courses equivalent to a major (24 semester/36 quarter hours) in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines, plus appropriate experience or additional coursework.

FOR THE GS‑11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS‑09 level) obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors that demonstrates:

• Proficiency in performing in teams or working groups to address scientific topics that impact plant health or agricultural programs.
• Supporting the work of researchers in conducting scientific investigations related to biological systems.
• Designing and conducting scientific studies in plant protection, biological control, plant pest diagnostics/identification, survey, eradication, exclusion, molecular biology, omics or related areas.
• Interpreting, evaluating, or analyzing scientific publications, reports, datasets, or similar information related to the plant sciences, which may include a wide range of disciplines (biology, ecology, microbiology, entomology, molecular genetics/genomics).
• Communicating scientific information orally and in writing to professional scientific organizations, industry, academia, government agencies, or the public.

OR 3 years of progressively higher‑level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines. 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, or 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.

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.

The duties described are for the full‑performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Provides scientific leadership in qualitative and quantitative biomolecular data analyses in support of the management of invasive species, including arthropods, diseases and other plant pests.
• Determines from a scientific standpoint, the likelihood of invasion, establishment, and movement of quarantine‑significant exotic pests in the United States.
• Obtains, validates, and biomolecular analyzes data related to pest identification and diagnostics.
• Develops methods of detection and inspection including scientific and statistically sound sampling procedures for survey of quarantine‑significant pests.
• Estimates spatially dependent probabilities of presence or absence of pests using multivariate statistical analysis of sampling data and factors associated with infestation.
• Reviews work plans, research proposals, experimental plans, manuscripts, and proposed PPQ protocols to ensure that procedures are statistically valid and meaningful.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

Start Date:

06/30/2026
Close Date: 07/07/2026

74,678 – 103,399 USD Per Year