Research Physiologist/Research Nutritionist Details

Research Physiologist/Research Nutritionist

US Department of Agriculture - Beltsville, MD

Employment Type : Full-Time

DutiesSummary

This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service, Field Organization, Northeast Area, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Food Components and Health Laboratory, Beltsville, MD.

The incumbent conducts research on dietary, lifestyle, and physiological characteristics of individuals that influence metabolic pathways (especially those related to macronutrient metabolism), energy metabolism, food self-selection, body composition, and weight regulation.

Responsibilities
• Conducts research on dietary, lifestyle, and physiological characteristics of individuals that influence metabolic pathways (especially those related to macronutrient metabolism).
• Conducts research on energy metabolism, food self-selection, body composition, and weight regulation and related chronic diseases. . Employs technology to data collection, interpretation and links to multiple datasets.
• Serves as a team member to assess quantitatively the evidence of the extent individual characteristics, dietary components, the environment, and lifestyle contribute to increasing incidence of chronic disease, including obesity.
• Performs work in compliance with Federal and state regulatory requirements that meets the Human Studies Protection and participatory consent requirements deemed necessary by cooperating Institutional Review Board(s).
• Conducts nutrition and lifestyle intervention studies using human volunteers onsite as well as in the field.
• Provides technical and administrative supervision of support positions, makes selections for positions, assigns duties, reviews work, approves/disapproves leave, and evaluates performance.
Travel Required

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

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

15

• Job family (Series)

  0413 Physiology

  0630 Dietitian And Nutritionist

  Similar jobs
  • Clinical Dietitians
  • Dietitians
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  • Nutritionists

• Requirements

  RequirementsConditions 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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
  • Successful completion of a three year probationary period.
  QualificationsApplicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
  
  Basic Requirements:
  
  Physiology Series 0413:
  Degree: in one of the basic animal sciences or physiology; or a related discipline or field of science that included at least 24 semester hours in the basic animal sciences, of which 10 semester hours were in animal physiology.
  
  Evaluation of Education: Courses such as anatomy; cytology; invertebrate and vertebrate zoology; embryology; entomology; animal, dairy, and poultry husbandry; nutrition; genetics; and physiology may be used to meet the 24-semester-hour requirement in the basic animal sciences.
  
  Nutrition Series 0630 Applicants must meet one of the following requirements for all grade levels:
  • Bachelors or graduate/higher level degree in the fields of dietetics, food, nutrition, food service management, institution management, or related science. The educational program must have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (external link) (ACEND), or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. For dietitian positions, the curriculum must have been in accordance with the qualifying requirements established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) (external link) (formerly American Dietetic Association (external link) (ADA) prior to January 1, 2012) in effect at the time of graduation.
  • Completion of a coordinated undergraduate program, internship, or other clinical component approved by AND (formerly ADA) for dietitians or nutritionists.
  • Professional registration as a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
  Note:
  Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied.
  
  Additional Requirements:
  In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below.
  
  GS-12:
  Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possess an equivalent combination of graduate level education and experience. Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
  
  Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level of this position are: Experience publishing in the peer-reviewed scientific literature on human dietary intervention research of macronutrients; Experience conducting human physical activity intervention studies to determine the effects of exercise and exercise patterns on glucose, insulin, health, and disease in humans; Experience conducting research related to sleep and sleep disturbances and how it impacts glucose and metabolism; Experience using room-size calorimeters to perform measurements of protein, fat, and carbohydrate oxidation and energy expenditure; Experience conducting and publishing research using accelerometers or other wearable monitors to measure physical activity; Experience conducting and publishing research using continuous glucose monitors to measure glucose in free-living humans; AND Laboratory experience analyzing blood or urine for analytes related to glucose metabolism (blood glucose, insulin).
  
  GS-13:
  Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled.
  
  The specialized experience requirements for the GS-13 level of this position are: Experience as a principle or co-principle investigator planning, coordinating, conducting, and reporting in the peer-reviewed scientific literature on clinical human nutrition research with macronutrients (protein, fat or carbohydrate); Experience conducting human physical activity intervention studies to determine the effects of exercise and exercise patterns on glucose, insulin, health, and disease in humans; Experience conducting research related to sleep and sleep disturbances and how it impacts glucose and metabolism; Experience using room-size calorimeters to perform measurements of protein, fat, and carbohydrate oxidation and energy expenditure; Experience conducting and publishing research using accelerometers or other wearable monitors to measure physical activity; Experience conducting and publishing research using continuous glucose monitors to measure glucose in free-living humans; Laboratory experience analyzing blood or urine for analytes related to glucose metabolism (blood glucose, insulin); Experience presenting clinical human nutrition research results at professional meetings; AND Primary authorship (first or last author) of clinical human nutrition or exercise research publications in peer-reviewed journals.
  
  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.
  
  To further support your qualifications, it is strongly recommended that you submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Failure to do so could result in loss of your consideration/referral. Also, please submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications.

  Applicants must be available to report for duty at the time a selection is made. Selections are typically made within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

  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 71 out of a possible 100.

  
  
  How You Will Be Evaluated

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

  You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Applicants with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

  
  Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
  
  Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.
  
  To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11011211
  
  Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance

  Not Required

  Drug test required

  No

  Position sensitivity and risk

  Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

  Trust determination process

  Suitability/Fitness

• Required Documents

  Required Documents

  The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

  • Resume that includes:1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed 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); 4) other qualifications.
  • 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), 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.

• Benefits

  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. Learn 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.

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• The public

  U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.