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 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
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-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level) that demonstrates: Managing complex executive-level scheduling by coordinating high-priority meetings while ensuring alignment with leadership objectives. Managing multiple tasks, serving as a point of contact, and providing administrative support to high level officials. Producing clear and concise written documents, reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, and presentations using appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Utilizing office software tools such as Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word. 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). 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. You are qualifying for this position based on Superior Academic Achievement. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university 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 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:Performs a variety of administrative support functions which require in depth knowledge of APHIS policies and procedures regarding travel and time and attendance.Conducts 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 DirectorAs 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:
11/06/2026
Position Close Date:
11/13/2026
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 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
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-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level) that demonstrates: Managing complex executive-level scheduling by coordinating high-priority meetings while ensuring alignment with leadership objectives. Managing multiple tasks, serving as a point of contact, and providing administrative support to high level officials. Producing clear and concise written documents, reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, and presentations using appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Utilizing office software tools such as Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word. 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). 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. You are qualifying for this position based on Superior Academic Achievement. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university 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 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:Performs a variety of administrative support functions which require in depth knowledge of APHIS policies and procedures regarding travel and time and attendance.Conducts 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 DirectorAs 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:
11/06/2026
Position Close Date:
11/13/2026
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!