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 for Agronomy Series, 0471 1.Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management. OR 2. Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy. Evaluation of Education: Course work in such subjects as botany, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant breeding or genetics, plant ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, agronomy, or those dealing with basic soil-water-plant relationships of an agronomic or ecologic nature may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic plant sciences. Agronomy courses include agronomy, field crops, field crop production or management, soil and crop management, plant breeding and development, weed control, and similar courses, including those in soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, etc., provided they dealt with principles, methods, or procedures that are applied directly in agronomic work and in the solving of agronomic problems. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below. GS-11: Applicants must meet one of the following to be qualified at the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. The specialized experience requirements for this position at the GS-11 level are: Assisting in coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, wheat or other row crops or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; AND Assisting in coordinating or executing crop or dairy farm management tasks; AND Keeping farm records, including field crop production and input records; AND Assisting in managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility. OR Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the duties of the position. Related education may include agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a significant amount of emphasis on agronomy. OR A combination of education and specialized experience as described above. GS-12: Applicants must meet the following to be qualified at the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience (defined below) equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. The specialized experience requirements for this position at the GS-12 level are: Coordinating or executing agronomic management for producing corn, soybeans, and wheat or corn silage and alfalfa haylage; AND Maintaining crop field production and input records; AND Managing finances for a large-scale crop or dairy production facility; AND Performing crop consulting. 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.