Summary

This position is in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Field Organization, Plains Area, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) located in Manhattan, KS.

In this position, part of NBAF's Office of Communications, you will provide support in all visual information needs, including print and digital design, social media, photography and videography.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

US Citizens and Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.

Duties

Creates print and multimedia presentations as requested to meet the needs of NBAF. This involves using creative processes and tools to generate graphics and displays, some of which may be scientific in nature and fit requirements of the project.
Participates in transforming spoken or written descriptions of items, processes, issues, or events into visual representations without the benefit of existing pictures, models, or diagrams.
Selects and utilizes custom equipment and techniques for public relations, scientific, technical, biomedical and event photography.
Works with scientific staff to assure images correctly show research results as desired by the researcher and are acceptable quality for publications and presentations.
Uses appropriate and approved IT systems to maintain searchable databases of sensitive and non-sensitive images.
As required, works with visual planners, editors, writers, and printing specialists within ARS and APHIS; and outside contacts including printers and graphic art contractors.
Produces creative graphic design work in conjunction with the Communications Office for intended audiences through illustrations, websites, posters for meetings, figures for publications and signage for general use.
Works in coordination with the supervisor in developing original designs, concepts, or visual styles following USDA-approved branding guidelines for outreach activities, social media, publications, exhibits, or presentation materials.
Uses photography and video capture; imagery, graphic and video editing software; publication design and layout; and design for digital and social media.
Uses Adobe Creative Suite and its programs, specifically InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Works with appropriate USDA, ARS, and APHIS personnel to produce visual images that meet or exceed requirements in order to comply with all Department, ARS, APHIS, and NBAF policies.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a US Citizen or US National.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and we may consider: your performance and conduct, the needs and interests of the agency, whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government, and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Motor Vehicle or Commercial Drivers License Required
Drug test required
Vaccine Required
SAC and full background investigation required for positions working with BSL-3 (or higher) agents or in BSL-3/BSL-4 facilities
National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) clearance is required
Immunizations may be required

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.

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: One (1) year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 creating flyers, presentations, or promotional materials using design editing software; developing original designs for outreach activities or social media; and assuring images are acceptable quality for publications.
OR
Education: successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Related degrees include graphic design, communications, visual communications, or marketing.
OR
Combination of education and experience as described above.

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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

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.

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 here.

This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.

National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) is a state-of-the-art biocontainment facility for the diagnosis and study of foreign animal, emerging, and zoonotic (transmitted from animals to human) diseases that threaten the U.S. food supply, agricultural economy, and public health. The Office of Communications at NBAF provides current information services, media and legislative relations, publication of technical research, website activities and outreach activities related to science programs carried out by ARS and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy. This means you will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Reading Comprehension
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13019372

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
If claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FedsHireVets.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resumes cannot exceed two pages.

The application process is as follows:

Click the Apply Online button.

Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.

Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

Set aside about 1-2 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status:
Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.

Agency contact information

Samuel Rios

Phone

(571)363-2830

Email

samuel.rios2@usda.gov

Address

Agricultural Research Service
2150 Centre Avenue
Building D, Suite 300
Fort Collins, CO 80526
US

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to rachel.amroliwalla@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Overview

Accepting applications

Posted this week · Apply by 08/03/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 3, 2026

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Manhattan, KS

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

No

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Salary

$61,722 - $80,243 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 9

Promotion potential

None

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

1084 Visual Information

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

Yes

Security clearance

Other

Position sensitivity and risk

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

ARS-S26Y-13019372-SJR

Control number

877935800

US Agricultural Research Service

About Company

Visual Information Specialist