Job Summary

This position is in the Office of Public Affairs and Training (OPAT), Food Safety Education Staff (FSES). An integral part of the FSES program is the Meat and Poultry Hotline. The Staff's primary mission is to effectively communicate with the public and internal audiences about food safety issues and FSIS programs and activities; to gain and increase citizen participation and behavior changes regarding food safety; and to implement FSIS' mission to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Job Description

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. FOR THE GS-05 LEVEL: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Responding to basic inquiries from the public via phone, email, or similar channels. Using pre-approved scripts or knowledge articles to deliver accurate, consistent responses. Demonstrating clear communication and customer-focused service. Following established procedures to escalate unusual questions or complaints. OR 4 years of education beyond high school. OR Combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Two full academic years of study (60 credits) is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. (e.g. if you have 67% education, then you need 33% specialized experience.) FOR THE GS-06 LEVEL: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Handling routine and moderately complex inquiries from the public via phone, email, or similar channels. Tailoring responses to customer needs rather than relying solely on standard scripts. Identifying patterns in consumer questions and communicating them to senior staff. Resolving common and some uncommon complaints through established methods. Communicating with diverse internal and external groups to share information. FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Independently managing complex, sensitive, or unusual consumer inquiries. Adjusting communication strategies to meet needs of specialized audiences. Monitoring trends in consumer issues and helping prepare the team for emerging topics Serving as a resource to peers for difficult calls, complaint resolution, or technical questions. 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.