What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Specialist 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 incumbent is responsible for providing complex administrative support and performing staff analytical and evaluative duties in support of the Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director of D&B (Diagnostics and Biologics), as well as the D&B Leadership Team in its goal of providing efficient and effective service to the stakeholders of the agency.
Qualifications
To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements; Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years. OR Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met. FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level) that demonstrates: Managing multiple tasks, serving as a point of contact, and providing administrative support to high level officials. Producing clear and concise quality documents, reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence using appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Using common/standard office suite software to prepare correspondence, meeting notes, reports, calendars, presentations, and spreadsheets. OR 1 full year of graduate level education in accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, finance, human resources, public administration, or other related fields of education. OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND 1) have a class standing in the upper third of the graduating class, 2) membership in a national scholastic honor society (excluding Freshman honor societies), or 3) must meet certain GPA requirements. GPA requirements: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcripts or as computed based on 4 years of education, or courses completed during the final 2 year of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required course completed in the major field or courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum (GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, e.g., 2.95 rounds to 3.0 and 2.94 rounds to 2.9). TRANSCRIPTS are required. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 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 an applicant for that grade level. Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.
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:Performs a variety of administrative support functions which require in depth knowledge of APHIS policies and procedures regarding travel and time and attendance.Conduct studies of clerical work processes in order to identify, analyze, and recommend solutions to problems in organizational structures and staffing.Through special projects, gathers information and designs special reports relating to operational and/or administrative matters.Reviews and analyzes new administrative policy issuance to determine the influence on programs.Coordinates travel commitments and complex schedule maneuvering for the program Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director.As required, serves as point of contact to stakeholders, responding to phone inquiries and requests for program information.Establishes, maintains, archives, and purges files and documents in accordance with agency records management directives, policies, regulations, and procedures.
Position Start Date:
07/28/2026
Position Close Date:
08/03/2026
Salary Offered: 50869 - 66132 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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!
Job Summary
The incumbent is responsible for providing complex administrative support and performing staff analytical and evaluative duties in support of the Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director of D&B (Diagnostics and Biologics), as well as the D&B Leadership Team in its goal of providing efficient and effective service to the stakeholders of the agency.
Qualifications
To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements; Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years. OR Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met. FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level) that demonstrates: Managing multiple tasks, serving as a point of contact, and providing administrative support to high level officials. Producing clear and concise quality documents, reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence using appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Using common/standard office suite software to prepare correspondence, meeting notes, reports, calendars, presentations, and spreadsheets. OR 1 full year of graduate level education in accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, finance, human resources, public administration, or other related fields of education. OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND 1) have a class standing in the upper third of the graduating class, 2) membership in a national scholastic honor society (excluding Freshman honor societies), or 3) must meet certain GPA requirements. GPA requirements: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcripts or as computed based on 4 years of education, or courses completed during the final 2 year of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required course completed in the major field or courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum (GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, e.g., 2.95 rounds to 3.0 and 2.94 rounds to 2.9). TRANSCRIPTS are required. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 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 an applicant for that grade level. Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.
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:Performs a variety of administrative support functions which require in depth knowledge of APHIS policies and procedures regarding travel and time and attendance.Conduct studies of clerical work processes in order to identify, analyze, and recommend solutions to problems in organizational structures and staffing.Through special projects, gathers information and designs special reports relating to operational and/or administrative matters.Reviews and analyzes new administrative policy issuance to determine the influence on programs.Coordinates travel commitments and complex schedule maneuvering for the program Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director.As required, serves as point of contact to stakeholders, responding to phone inquiries and requests for program information.Establishes, maintains, archives, and purges files and documents in accordance with agency records management directives, policies, regulations, and procedures.
Position Start Date:
07/28/2026
Position Close Date:
08/03/2026
Salary Offered: 50869 - 66132 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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!