Summary This position is located is in the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory (NGPRL), Northern Plains Area, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in Mandan, North Dakota. In this position, you will serve as the data management specialist on a team responsible for data management for the Unit's research activities and provides leadership for the interface between data acquisition (e.g., tools, apps, and collectors) and the databases themselves. Responsibilities Participates as a member of the NGPRL scientific team and oversees data management to organize and manage data from the numerous greenhouse, laboratory, plot, and field projects. Provides training and coordination of data acquisition, communication, and management to existing and new staff. Reviews data for completeness and accuracy, analyzes, summarizes, and makes data and metadata available to network partners electronically on a periodic basis, uses appropriate repositories and catalogues data with the National Agricultural Library. Participates on a team with oversight of unit computer and network operations. Participates in organizing and managing data from numerous research projects, and effectively processes, analyzes, and communicates such data. Data communications span the full range from acquisition to local storage, to collaborators, and to network repositories, and must comply with national and international research network standards. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 Requirements: 1. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR 2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. AND In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: GS-07: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting in organizing and managing research data; and assisting with coordinating and facilitating the delivery of research data between networks. OR Education: Successful completion of one (1) year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Related degrees may include Crop science, Agronomy, Plant pathology, Soil science, Agricultural science, Agricultural Engineering, Plant Sciences, Biology, Botany, Plant Physiology, Horticulture, Entomology, Chemistry, Ecology, Data Management, Data Science, or Bioinformatics. OR Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.): Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. S.A.A. is based on (1) Class Standing - applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class, based on completed courses; or (2) Grade-Point Average - applicants must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (3) Election to membership in a National Honor Society - membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. OR A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education directly related to the work of the position as stated above GS-09: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience organizing and managing research data; facilitating the delivery of research data between networks; and ensuring data meets quality assurance and quality control standards. OR Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Related degrees may include Crop science, Agronomy, Plant pathology, Soil science, Agricultural science, Agricultural Engineering, Plant Sciences, Biology, Botany, Plant Physiology, Horticulture, Entomology, Chemistry, Ecology, Data Management, Data Science, or Bioinformatics. OR A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above. GS-11: Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience reviewing data for completeness and accuracy; managing and analyzing data from multiple agricultural related research projects; and programming field data collection equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Related degrees may include Crop science, Agronomy, Plant pathology, Soil science, Agricultural science, Agricultural Engineering, Plant Sciences, Biology, Botany, Plant Physiology, Horticulture, Entomology, Chemistry, Ecology, Data Management, Data Science, or Bioinformatics. OR A combination of Ph.D. level education and specialized experience as described above. Other Considerations Incumbent may be required to travel to other Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network locations, or other suitable locations, when needed to participate in data management activities, and to cooperator meetings for participation and presentation of reports, and for field activities. 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. Education Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. This position is designated as a bargaining unit position and is represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).