Summary
The Packers and Stockyards Division (PSD) administers the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended and supplemented. The Packers and Stockyards Act (Act) is a competition, trade practice and financial protection law. Its principal purpose is to maintain effective competition and fair trade practices in livestock, meat, and poultry marketing. The Agricultural Marketing Specialist carries out enforcement of jurisdictional, competition, financial, and trade practice provisions of the Act.
Duties
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:
Documents investigative findings in an agency approved format and prepares detailed investigative reports documenting violations found when corrective administrative action is warranted.
Conducts and/or directs investigations and related activities pertaining to large and complex firms operating subject to the Act.
Observes, interviews, and questions the parties involved and, if necessary, takes sworn statements and prepares investigative reports, analysis, and recommendations.
Ascertains that registrants, live poultry dealers and packers maintain adequate sets of records as required by the Act.
Advises registrants, live poultry dealers and packers of the records they must maintain and when inadequacies are found, specifies the necessary adjustments to affect compliance.
Develops annual and quarterly work plans to investigate unfair, unjustly discriminatory or deceptive practices.
Education
Please see above for education qualification information.
How you will be evaluated
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13091316