Agricultural Specialist (Food Safety) - American Embassy Beijing

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Agricultural Specialist (Food Safety)
(Foreign Agricultural Service)  

Non-Sensitive             N73-1515-012

This position is advertised under the Locally Employed Staff Program of the United States Mission in China.  All applicants must already have relevant documentation to permanently and legally reside and work in China to be eligible for consideration.

Position is subject to funding availability.
OPEN TO:   All Interested Candidates
POSITION:  Agricultural Specialist (Food Safety) (FAS)
OPENING DATE:   August 31, 2011
CLOSING DATE:  September 14, 2011
                        (Only applications received by the closing date will be considered)
WORK HOURS:   Full-time; 40 hours/week
GRADE:  Not Ordinarily Resident: FP-04 USD 61,759p.a.
               (starting salary, final grade will be determined by Washington)

Ordinarily Resident: FSN-11 RMB 233,598p.a.
                              (starting salary includes allowance and bonus)

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing is seeking an individual for the position of Agricultural Specialist (Food Safety) with the Foreign Agricultural Service.

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

Serves as an advisor and analyst to the Agricultural Minister Counselor and Agricultural Attachés in Beijing. Monitors the full range of food safety regulations, standards, and other technical requirements that could impact imports of U.S. agricultural products, keeps the Agricultural Minister Counselor and other American officers briefed on significant developments and independently prepares reports. Monitors regulatory developments and policy decisions that affect the food industry and analyzes implications for U.S. food imports. Resolves time-sensitive import clearance problems and provides information and support to U.S. exporters and importers of agricultural products. Gathers information and data on China’s production situation, trade policies, and regulations and prepares scheduled and voluntary reports. Independently organizes research, promotes U.S. trade interests, and provides policy advice to both U.S. Government officials and the private sector. Assists in the implementation of USDA and other USG programs, including marketing, technical assistance, and exchange.
 
A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available in the Office of Human Resources (x4500).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.  Applicants who fail to do so, or who do not meet the position’s required qualifications, will not be considered for this position.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree is required in one of the following areas: science (including food science, biology, and chemistry), economics, finance, business, agriculture, agricultural economics, social science or English with at least 10 university-level courses in science, agriculture, business or economics.

Experience:

• 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in a profession related to food science, biology, chemistry, agriculture, or economics is required.

Language:

• Level IV (Fluent) speaking/reading/writing in English is required.
• Level IV (Fluent) speaking/reading/writing in Chinese is required.

Knowledge:

• A thorough understanding of science issues related to food safety standards, such as processes for establishing maximum residue levels, plant genomics, pathogenic bacteria, and animal disease, and understanding of host country agricultural development and agricultural policies.

Abilities and skills:

• Must be able to maintain and develop an extensive range of contacts at all levels in the Chinese Government up to Vice Minister and equivalent private sector rank and uses contacts to obtain information and data relevant to assignee responsibilities.
• Must be able to explain interrelated developments in food safety and agriculture of political, economic and sociological forces at work in China, and analyze and evaluate quantitative, statistical and qualitative data, followed by market and trade impacts.

SELECTION CRITERIA

When equally qualified, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (US EFMs) and U.S. Veterans who are legally residing in country will be given preference.  Therefore, it is essential that the candidate specifically address the required qualifications above in the application.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA

• All completed applications received by the closing date will be reviewed by HR to determine which applicants meet the advertised position’s required qualifications. When appropriate, the HR Office will administer necessary skill testing, such as typing, to confirm an applicant’s qualifications.
• Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy.
• Current LE Staff employees are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their appointment.
• Current Ordinarily Resident (OR) employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
• Current U.S. Citizen EFM employees who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
• Current Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) employees hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.
• Ordinarily Resident applicants or applicants without a U.S. social security number will be paid according to the Local Compensation Plan in local currency (RMB).  There are no exceptions to this regulation.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates for this position should submit the following:

1. Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member  DS-0174;
   or
2. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information found on the DS-0174;
   or
3. A combination of both; i.e. Sections 1 -24 of the DS-0174 along with a listing of the applicant’s work experience attached as a separate sheet;
   plus
4. Candidates who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application. If the DD-214 is not submitted with the application, the applicant will not be considered for Veterans Preference.
5. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
6. Copy of passport showing Chinese Government approval to permanently and legally reside and work in China (does not apply to Chinese nationals)

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO

Human Resources Office
American Embassy Beijing, China
No.55 An Jia Lou, Beijing 100600
Email: USEmbassyBJHR@state.gov
(Please specify the position title in the subject line.)
Fax: 86-10-8531-4545

Website: www.usembassy-china.org.cn

CLOSE DATE FOR THIS POSITION:  11:59 P.M. September 14, 2011

The US Mission in Beijing provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.  The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation.  Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.

DEFINITIONS:

Eligible Family Member (EFM):  An individual related to a U.S. Government employee in one of the following ways:

• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610);
• Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support.  The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
• Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
• Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.

U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Member (US EFM):  For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:

• U.S. Citizen;
  and,
• EFM (see above) at least 18 years old;
  and,
• Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan;
  and either:
1. Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan;
   or
2. Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.

Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM):  EFM (see above) eligible for a Family Member Appointment for purposes of Mission employment:

• Is a U.S. citizen;
  and
• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or a child of the sponsoring employee who is unmarried and at least 18 years old;
  and
• Is listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report, of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or uniformed service member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad at a U.S. mission, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and who is under chief of mission authority;
  and
• Is residing at the sponsoring employee's post of assignment abroad or, as appropriate, office of the American Institute in Taiwan.
• Does not receive a Foreign Service or Civil Service annuity

Member of Household (MOH):  An individual who accompanies a  direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan.  An MOH is:

• Not an EFM;
  and,
• Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee;
  and,
  Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.

A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member.  A MOH does not have to be a U.S. Citizen.

Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who

• Is not a citizen of the host country;
  and,
• Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country;
  and,
• Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws;
  and
• Has a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN).

NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or U.S. citizen who:

• Is locally resident;
  and,
• Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country;
  and,
• Has the required work permits for employment in country; and,
• Is subject to host country employment and tax laws.

EFMs without U.S. Social Security Numbers are also OR.  All OR employees, including U.S. citizens, are compensated in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).