What are the responsibilities and job description for the Botanist position at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)?
Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Summary
The primary responsibility of the incumbent is to perform specialized and difficult taxonomic work based on major subject matter expertise. The incumbent provides expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to Agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, plus appropriate experience or additional education. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may be been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Interpreting and applying federal import requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for import. Interpreting and applying foreign requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for export. Enforcing Federal and/or State regulatory orders to restrict movement, and/or issue certificates permitting movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas, and/or ensure that prohibited material is seized and disposed of in accordance with established procedures. Using knowledge of plant taxonomy and microscopy and available literature to identify plants specimens to genus level. Properly preserving botanical plant specimens and seeds. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's equivalent graduate degree in the fields of botany. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Utilizing accepted taxonomic databases and contemporary taxonomic literature for identification and treatment work. Dissecting microscope and microscopic digital imaging systems to aid in seed identification and for cataloguing seed collections. Utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope to advance and refine taxonomic identification of seeds. Maintaining, developing, and supplementing information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests. Developing and maintaining specimen collections of plant pests. OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. in Botany or equivalent doctoral degree. 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. 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-11 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, AmeriCorps) 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.
Major 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:Identifies or verifies identification of plants and plant parts, such as seeds, leaves, dormant parts and wood, to family, genera or species for quarantine or regulatory action.Serves as a recognized specialist in the broad area of botany and deals primarily in programs involving the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Threatened Endangered plant species and Federal noxious weedsMaintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of plants and plant parts.Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.Exercises agency regulatory authority by initiating regulatory action, e.g. for quarantine pests intercepted from imported commodities or new State or county determinations from domestic surveys.Provides technical assistance regarding program pests, and the pathways with which they enter the US by analyzing interception records for trends of pest entry, monitoring inspection procedures and establishing contacts with industry.Assists in providing oversight of laboratory support staff including laboratory technicians, student employees and data entry assistants.
Position Start Date:
10/27/2026
Position Close Date:
11/02/2026
Salary Offered: 61722 - 101359 USD Per Year
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Agricultural Marketing Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the AMS careers site.
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!
Job Summary
The primary responsibility of the incumbent is to perform specialized and difficult taxonomic work based on major subject matter expertise. The incumbent provides expertise in pest biology, taxonomy and risk analysis as a recognized specialist and consultant or team member to Agency import policy staff, survey design groups, survey personnel, and Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program managers.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree: botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, plus appropriate experience or additional education. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may be been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Interpreting and applying federal import requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for import. Interpreting and applying foreign requirements to inspect and certify agricultural products for export. Enforcing Federal and/or State regulatory orders to restrict movement, and/or issue certificates permitting movement of plants, plant products, and equipment into or out of regulated areas, and/or ensure that prohibited material is seized and disposed of in accordance with established procedures. Using knowledge of plant taxonomy and microscopy and available literature to identify plants specimens to genus level. Properly preserving botanical plant specimens and seeds. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's equivalent graduate degree in the fields of botany. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Utilizing accepted taxonomic databases and contemporary taxonomic literature for identification and treatment work. Dissecting microscope and microscopic digital imaging systems to aid in seed identification and for cataloguing seed collections. Utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope to advance and refine taxonomic identification of seeds. Maintaining, developing, and supplementing information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests. Developing and maintaining specimen collections of plant pests. OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. in Botany or equivalent doctoral degree. 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. 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-11 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, AmeriCorps) 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.
Major 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:Identifies or verifies identification of plants and plant parts, such as seeds, leaves, dormant parts and wood, to family, genera or species for quarantine or regulatory action.Serves as a recognized specialist in the broad area of botany and deals primarily in programs involving the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Threatened Endangered plant species and Federal noxious weedsMaintains, develops, and supplements information on taxonomy, hosts, distribution and other related information pertaining to intercepted and/or survey plant pests.Consults with and advises Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State departments of agriculture and other cooperators on the identity and biology of plants and plant parts.Develops or aids in developing training modules and appropriately illustrated identification aids and works with national program staff to deliver training to PPQ, DHS and State employees.Exercises agency regulatory authority by initiating regulatory action, e.g. for quarantine pests intercepted from imported commodities or new State or county determinations from domestic surveys.Provides technical assistance regarding program pests, and the pathways with which they enter the US by analyzing interception records for trends of pest entry, monitoring inspection procedures and establishing contacts with industry.Assists in providing oversight of laboratory support staff including laboratory technicians, student employees and data entry assistants.
Position Start Date:
10/27/2026
Position Close Date:
11/02/2026
Salary Offered: 61722 - 101359 USD Per Year
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Agricultural Marketing Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the AMS careers site.
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!