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. Responsibilities Respond to inquiries via phone, email, webforms, and live chat, addressing questions related to meat, poultry, and egg product storage, handling, safety, labeling, and other areas tied to the FSIS mission. Deliver consumer information, advisory services, and resources to a diverse audience with varying needs and characteristics, focusing on wholesomeness, food safety, storage, nutrition, and labeling. Utilize pre-approved Knowledge Articles (KAs) in the knowledge management database (SalesForce) to ensure responses are accurate, consistent, and understandable to the public. Assess each customer's unique needs and adjust responses accordingly, using discretion to select the most appropriate information and approach. Address common and uncommon issues, concerns, complaints, and general questions related to meat, poultry, and egg products, ensuring resolution through the Hotline. Apply and adhere to agency EEO and civil rights policies, goals, and objectives in all duties, promoting equal opportunity in communications and avoiding discriminatory displays or behavior. Communicate with co-workers, program officials, managers, the general public, private and public agencies, and specialized groups (e.g., media), exchanging information and fostering public awareness. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications 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. Education Education is substitutable at the GS-05 level as defined above in the qualifications section. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
