You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.
Email

Animal Caretaker

Newnan, GA

The incumbent in this position serves as an Animal Caretaker at the National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, GA. The NDDTC plays a crucial role in safeguarding America's agricultural and natural resources from harmful pests and diseases by training specially selected dogs and their human handlers to perform vital tasks aimed at detecting, restricting entry, and/or eradication of foreign plant pests or animal diseases into the United States.

  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Observes animals daily for changes in appearance and/or activity.
  • Bathes, grooms, and cares for dental, aural, and dermal hygiene of all animals and transports them to the veterinarian for routine and emergency visits.
  • Prepares veterinary service requests, presents documentation and animals for veterinary evaluation and treatment for monthly on-site veterinary visits.
  • Provides this same care for all animals in the veterinary quarantine building.
  • Maintains animals’ digital and hard copy health records.
  • Assesses the overall wellness of the animals, addresses many issues on-the-spot.
  • Restrains animals for their own and human safety during blood samples draws or other similar work.
  • Cleans, disinfects, and prepares animal enclosures daily.
  • Assists higher graded employees as requested, and as appropriate.

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
  • All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
  • Will be required to work weekends and holidays as part of the assigned work week and occasionally required to work overtime to provide support during training courses or in the event of an emergency.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your answers to the vacancy specific questions must be supported by the work experience in your resume. For example, if you respond in the affirmative when questioned whether you have experience caring for horses, your resume must include this experience, mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title.
 

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

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

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.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit (union), specifically the National Association of Agricultural Employees.
  • Worksite Information: This position is located at the duty station(s) listed in this vacancy announcement and is not eligible for telework or remote work.
  • Physical Effort: Considerable physical exertion, strength, or ability to capture and restrain stronger or more active animals is required. Frequent overhead work that requires full extension of the arms, standing, walking, bending, stooping, and crouching is involved in the work. Restrains animals for their own and human safety during blood samples draws or other similar work.
  • Working Conditions: Work may require contact with unpredictable or ill-natured animals which exposes the incumbent to greater possibility of injury from trip hazards, bites, scratches, stings etc. Subject to manual labor, hazardous/poisonous chemicals, and caustic cleaning materials. Subject to work on wet floors and confined spaces. Subject to environmental weather extremes such as humidity, temperature, wind, and rain.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. 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 knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:
 

  • Ability to do the work of Animal Caretaker
  • Ability to Follow Animal Care Procedures
  • Ability to Handle Animals
  • Ability to Handle Weights
  • Ability to Keep Records and Make Reports
  • Ability to Observe Animals
  • Cleanliness, Neatness, and Concern for Sanitation


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.