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The Poultry Programs of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking for students with the interest and potential to make contributions to our quality team and prepare for future leadership positions. If you have a strong work ethic, leadership potential, and a desire to make significant contributions to the nation's food marketing programs, you should continue reading about career opportunities with us.
STUDENT CAREER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Poultry Programs Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) provides high-potential college students valuable work experience in their chosen field of study as well as full-time employment opportunities upon graduation. After initial training, most students are placed directly in product plants, assisting the graders with official USDA duties. However, we also have opportunities in market news reporting and other agricultural marketing fields. Combining paid employment with formal education periods, SCEP provides unique opportunities for both the student and the employer.
Your college cooperative education office and employing office will work with you to develop a work schedule that will complement your academic requirements. Work periods may be served with full- or part-time schedules, or a combination of both. You must carry at least a half-time academic course load, as defined by the college. You must complete a total of 640 hours of work experience with the Poultry Programs prior to graduation.
To quality for the Poultry Programs' SCEP, you must be:
- Pursuing a baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degree;
- Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student;
- Taking at least a half-time academic course load;
In addition to the experience, salary, and career advancement opportunities of this Program, students also profit from the following benefits:
- Paid Leave (sick and vacation);
- Alternative work schedules;
Undergraduate and graduate students are hired as GS-3’s, GS-4's and GS-5's, respectively. Following graduation, B.S. degree recipients can be converted non-competitively to GS-5 Agricultural Commodity Graders or Market News Reporters. However, candidates with a 2.95 GPA or higher, on a 4.0 scale (based on either (1) the average of all completed college courses, or (2) the average of all college courses completed during the last 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum) are converted to the GS-7 level. M.S. degree recipients can be converted to GS-9, providing they complete degree requirements within 30 months from the date of enrollment in graduate school and they complete a total of 26 weeks of work prior to graduation. Employees can advance to the GS-9 journeyman level and possibly later into supervisory and managerial positions at grades GS-11 through GS-15.
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY GRADING
The Poultry Programs has agricultural commodity graders stationed in over 200 plants throughout the country. Below is a list of the Programs' Regional Offices and the States where the facilities are located:
EASTERN REGION
USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs,
801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite A
Gastonia, NC 28054-3441
States Supervised: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, West Virginia
CENTRAL REGION
USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs
West Lake Corporate Park, Searcy Bldg.
10809 Executive Center Drive, Suite 318
Little Rock, AR 72211-6022
States Supervised: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
WESTERN REGION
USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs
2909 Coffee Road, Suite 4
Modesto, CA 95355-3188
States Supervised: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
MARKET NEWS REPORTER
Poultry Programs' Market News offices are located in Los Angeles, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Des Moines, Iowa; Jackson, Mississippi; and Washington, DC.
The National Office for the Poultry Programs is located in Washington, DC.
If you are interested in applying for the Poultry Programs' Student Career Experience Program, contact your educational institution's cooperative education department. The following information is required for application:
- Resume, or Optional Application for Federal Employment OF 612 (PDF);
- A current college transcript;
- Cover letter indicating the position you are interested in and the dates you are available (spring, summer, fall).
Forward Application Packet to:
Recruitment Coordinator
USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Room 3959, Stop 0257
Washington, DC 20250-0257
If you have any further questions, please contact the Poultry Programs Recruitment Coordinator at (202) 720-7065 or AMSpoultryrecruiter@usda.gov.
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