International Trade Specialist

Position description

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:
• Serves as an FAS contact for a wide range of questions from other agencies and businesses seeking information relative to agricultural trade in the international market.
• Develops support for the adoption of science-based regulatory systems and standards.
• Conducts assessments and develops interpretation of international trade issues, conditions, or events in support of decision-making, policy formulation, or program development by FAS and USDA.
• Analyzes and interprets international trade data and legal issues as applied to financial, political, economic, and scientific issues to include biotechnology, and business parameters of international agricultural trade.
• Serves as an advisor to other federal and state agencies, the academic community, industry, and scientific and regulatory review boards and meetings.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Applicants must meet the BASIC QUALIFICATION requirements for this position described below:

• Undergraduate and/or Graduate Education:
  • Major study — marketing, business administration, political science, public administration, history, business or commercial law, economics, finance, international trade, or international relations.

OR

• Experience: Experience that demonstrates knowledge of:
  • Marketing that included economic, psychological, and sociological influences bearing upon consumption patterns;
  • Business practices pertaining to wholesale, retail, manufacturers’ distribution, distribution costs, finance and tax structure, and similar areas of activity or concern; and
  • International economic and political factors influencing balance of payments, monetary exchange and tariffs, and their bearing on the distribution of commodities.

FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Understanding of basic principles of agricultural or international trade, marketing, or technical assistance
• Analysis of key trade and competitiveness issues.
• Contributing to a variety of projects and reports.

OR

• Master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

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:

• Assisting in the development and implementation of projects or trade strategies.
• Analyzing and interpreting international trade data and legal issues.
• Conducting research, gathers data, and compiles information.

OR

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

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

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

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 and GS-11 GRADE LEVELS: 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. To learn more about combining education and experience for this series, click the following: Combining Education and Experience for Administrative and Management Positions

Application instructions

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