Equipment Specialist (GS-1670)

Equipment Specialists coordinate development of new processes, design innovation, and fabrication techniques as they relate to the acceptability of the equipment for use in plants surveyed and approved for USDA grading services. These duties may involve: 

  • Providing technical assistance for the official system through system-wide equipment verification and quality control processes.
  • Assisting Quality Assurance and Control Staff with troubleshooting and problem resolution as necessary to prevent or correct equipment performance issues.
  • Developing and designing techniques, procedures, and methods for testing equipment to verify their accuracy and performance characteristics.
  • Providing necessary technical support to ensure a common understanding and application of equipment verification criteria.

 This Position is Represented in the Following AMS Programs:

Work Environment

The work is usually performed in an office or laboratory setting.

Minimum Applicant Requirements

For GS-07 Level

For GS-09 Level and Above

Applicants must have either:  

Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. Qualifying experience includes:

  • Working as a skilled mechanic or maintenance worker, sales or service engineer, or planner or estimator in a technical group dealing with manufacture, utilization, repair, or operation of equipment.
  • Reviewing and applying technical specifications and requirements.
  • Analyzing equipment and forecasting spare parts requirements.
  • Reading and interpreting engineering change orders, equipment requisitions, shop orders, and work orders.
  • Analyzing contract specifications and examining pertinent equipment to determine if specifications are met.
  • Analyzing or supervising maintenance, repair, or production operations to determine methods of improvement.

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).

OR

Education:  Major study -- any field of study in an accredited college or university.

Graduate Education: Major study -- fields related to the position to be filled.

OR

Superior academic achievement.

Applicants must have either:  

Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level as listed in the job announcement.

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).

OR

Education: A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. Applicants may also have an LL.B. or J.D., if related

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