FSA Careers, RMA Careers, NRCS Careers

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Working for FSA, NRCS, RMA - FPAC

If you’re ready to serve our nation’s farmers and ranchers, consider the opportunities with FSA, NRCS, RMA, and the Business Center!

We encourage all interested individuals to apply for positions at USDA, including veterans, people with disabilities, and surplus or displaced Federal employees.

The application process starts with creating profile on the USAJOBS website. Then, you can search for a specific job by keyword, agency, location, salary, occupation, etc.

Click the button below to jump start your search today!

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Careers in FPAC

Come Join Us!

Do you want a career that can make a difference? We’re looking for highly motivated and skilled individuals interested in meeting the challenges of the dynamic and innovative field of agriculture. To get a better idea of what a career in one of these fields would be like, check out the summaries below.

Career Paths

Accountant

Accountants prepare and examine financial records. They assess financial operations and work to help ensure that the agency runs efficiently. As an Accountant at USDA, you would

  1. perform professional accounting functions requiring analytical, procedural, and technical skills;
  2. accounting studies and projects;
  3. assist in preparing findings for briefings and describing critical assumptions and decision points for decision-makers;
  4. establish and maintain reports for financial management activities.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in accounting, agricultural business, business administration or other related field from an accredited college or university.

Requires working knowledge and skills in accounting theory, concepts, principles, and standards. Also requires the ability to use automated financial management databases/systems and computer-generated products.

Accountant

Administrative Assistants

Administrative assistants are the gatekeepers and process movers for many critical agency functions. Assistants keep the office running smoothly and help everyone from the managers to employees to the public. They answer phones, make travel reservations, schedule meetings, enter data and make sure things get routed to the right people for signatures. They are often the first contact our customers have greeting visitors and serving as receptionists for offices. There is never a dull moment at the office.

Qualifications:

College degree is not required for all positions in this field, but certificates and work experience are necessary for certain job sets.

Admin Assistant

Compliance Investigator

Crop insurance is implemented by private insurers through an agreement between USDA and insurance providers. In this position you would assess the compliance of policyholders, insurance agents, and insurance providers with agency policy and procedures. Investigators issue findings of fraud, waste, or abuse, or simply make recommendations for changes to improve policy or procedures. They also participate in negotiations with persons whose activities have been found to be at odds with agency guidelines.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business or an investigative field from an accredited college or university.

Requires working knowledge of auditing/investigative techniques.

Compliance Investigator

County Office Program Technician (PT)

Program Technicians are employed in Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Service Centers throughout the nation. As a PT, you will work directly with farmers and ranchers in your county and state by helping implement FSA programs. Good commu¬nication skills, both orally and in-writing, are necessary as you will explain the programs and policies to producers through correspondence and in-person interactions. You will perform a wide variety of duties as a Program Technician depending on the program area(s) in which you specialize. This position requires a high degree of initiative and judgment in planning and carrying out assigned tasks and resolving problems encountered.

County Executive Director in Training (CEDT)

FSA develops new local leaders through a 1-year training program for County Executive Director in Training. As a CEDT you are guided through the training program by experienced County Executive Directors (CED). CEDs are also known as the county service center managers. Em¬phasis is placed on acquiring an in-depth knowledge of FSA programs administered at the county level. You will see a combination of classroom-type training, hands-on experience, and formal management training to prepare you for the next step of your career in the managerial role as a county service center CED.

County Operations Trainee (County Executive Director Trainee)

As a County Operations Trainee, you will be guided through a one-year management and program training class with the Farm Service Agency. The Farm Service Agency is responsible for implementing agricultural policy, implementing credit and loan programs, and managing conservation, commodity disaster and farm marketing programs.

At the successful conclusion of the program, you will be eligible to apply for County Executive Director positions which are responsible for executing the policies of the FSA County Committee as well as the day-to-day operations of the local FSA County Office.

Qualifications:

  • A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree; OR
  • A master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR
  • Specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledges, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled.

Requires working knowledge of auditing/investigative techniques.

County Operations Trainee Role

Economist

Economists study the production and distribution of resources, goods, and services by collecting and analyzing data, researching trends, and evaluating economic issues. Economists are required to demonstrate professional knowledge of economics as they: research into economic phenomena, analyze economic data, and the prepare interpretive reports; advise and consult on economic matters to governmental officials and private organizations or citizens.

At USDA, you’ll consult in the development of crop policies, assessment of world markets impact on supply and pricing, and development of price and actuarial models and methods.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, mathematics, statistical analysis, or other agricultural or mathematics field from an accredited college or university.

Requires knowledge of agricultural economic and business principles and their application of principles of crop insurance.

Economist

Engineer

USDA employs many engineers who have specialized skills in erosion control, water management, structural design, construction, hydraulics, soil mechanics, and environmental protection. We also employ those with general engineering skills. Your job assignments may include restoring streams, controlling erosion, developing water systems for livestock, improving and conserving irrigation water, or restoring wetlands. As an engineer, you will help solve a host of natural resource problems and may also become involved in helping communities recover from natural disasters.

At USDA, you’ll consult in the development of crop policies, assessment of world markets impact on supply and pricing, and development of price and actuarial models and methods.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable, the program must:

  1. lead to a bachelor’s degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or
  2. include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics:
    1. statics, dynamics;
    2. strength of materials (stress-strain relationships);
    3. fluid mechanics, hydraulics;
    4. thermodynamics;
    5. electrical fields and circuits;
    6. nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and(g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. Specialties include agricultural, environmental and civil engineering.
Engineer

Farm Loan Officer Trainee (Farm Loan Assistant)

Through USDA farm loans, we’re giving farmers, ranchers and foresters an opportunity to succeed – whether they’re just getting started in farming, investing in their existing operations or looking to maintain their businesses in hard times.

As a Farm Loan Officer Trainee (Farm Loan Assistant), you will be provided with hands-on training to introduce you to the principles of USDA farm loans and how to administer them. You’ll learn basic techniques and methods to effectively evaluate financial factors and credit risks when making and servicing loans.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable the program must include:

  • Knowledge of loan examining and/or servicing principles,
  • procedures and techniques as they apply to investigation,
  • analysis and evaluation of financial factors and credit risks in granting and servicing of agricultural loans;

-OR-

  • Three years of progressively responsible general experience that required
    1. gathering and analyzing facts and figures, and presenting the information or conclusions in clear oral and written language; or
    2. that provided a knowledge of the principles of financial analysis or of insurance laws, such as contract property, life, casualty, or marine insurance; OR A combination of education and experience as listed above.
Farm Loan Officer Trainee

Farm Loan Program Technician

Through USDA farm loans, we’re giving farmers, ranchers and foresters an opportunity to succeed – whether they’re just getting started in farming, investing in their existing operations or looking to maintain their businesses in hard times.

Program Technicians provide administrative and technical support to help Farm Loan Program processes run smoothly. They help advise customers about requirements for loans and respond to questions about program requirements and procedures.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or other fields related to the position such as agriculture, agricultural economics, agricultural marketing, farm, livestock or ranch management, dairy science, domestic agricultural development, agronomy, rural sociology or other agricultural specialty; OR Demonstrated work experience applying office methods and procedures to provide clerical and limited technical support to any program.

To be acceptable, the program must have included:

  • Experience that demonstrated competence in agricultural, commercial, realty, or other types of loans.
  • Experience may have been gained in such work as
    • reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural, commercial, bank or mortgage loans;
    • servicing a loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association;
    • performing financial analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes;
    • appraising real estate to determine property valuation;
    • or similar work;
  • OR A combination of education and experience as listed above.
Farm Loan Technician

Geologist

As a Geologist, you’ll classify soils and bedrock. You’ll educate our employees, partners, and customers on how geology effects conservation practices. NRCS Geologists work on a variety of projects such as small dams, sinkholes, wetland restorations, manure storage pits, watershed rehabilitation dams, and streambank restorations.

At USDA, you’ll consult in the development of crop policies, assessment of world markets impact on supply and pricing, and development of price and actuarial models and methods.

You’ll use lidar elevation data, existing geology and soils maps, satellite imagery, on site investigation methods to map soils, depth to bedrock, bedrock type, and water flow; while conducting geologic investigations. You’ll also investigate groundwater resources and work with information on watersheds, water quality, and changes in land-use patterns.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree in Geology or a closely related discipline from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable, the program must have included 20 semester hours or equivalent in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography.

A broad interdisciplinary background in some of the other scientific disciplines is a plus because you will work closely with many other natural resource professionals with different perspectives and backgrounds.

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Human Resource Specialist

Human resource specialists are the first people you meet in FPAC once you are hired. They are your navigators through the paperwork and advise you on the benefits and programs offered to employees. They process onboarding, promotions, career moves, and reassignments and help employees all the way through retirement.

Qualifications:

College degree is helpful but not required

Recommended Courses:

  • Employee Recruitment and Selection
  • Policies and Procedures in HR
  • Business Management
  • Organizational Training and Development
Human Resource Specialist

Information Technology Specialist

Information technology (IT) is a broad field for several computer-related careers. Some IT specialists are computer programmers, system analysts, network specialists, and communication specialists, while others maintain telephone systems, set up employee computers and troubleshoot problems.

Qualifications:

College degree is required OR equivalent experience.

Recommended Courses:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Science
  • Information Systems Management
  • Math and Statistics
  • Operations Research
  • Engineering
Information Technology Specialist

Management Analyst

Management Analysts propose ways to improve an organization’s efficiency. They advise managers on how to make organizations more effective, productive, and efficient. This type of work requires skills in fact-finding and investigative techniques, oral and written communications, and the development of presentations and reports. Some of the work may require an understanding of basic budgetary and financial management principles as they relate to long range planning of programs and objectives.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, financial management or other related field, including courses in business law from an accredited college or university; OR

Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education in accounting, business administration, financial management or other related field, including courses in business law from an accredited college or university; OR

Two years of equivalent work experience that required knowledge and skills in accounting theory, business and budget-related law, concepts, principles, and standards; OR

A combination of education and experience as listed above.

Management Analyst

Public Affairs Specialist

Public affairs specialists maintain the frequent communication between federal agencies and the general public. They write news releases, update websites, maintain social media sites, write speeches, take photos, and conduct meetings and press conferences. They creatively come up with new ways to inform the public about the land we manage and the many projects we are working on. Work is fast-paced and varied.

Qualifications:

College degree in Communication, English, Journalism, or Public Administration is helpful but not required.

Public Affairs Specialist

Rangeland Management Specialist

NRCS rangeland management specialists plan grazing systems that improve forage quality and other grazing land functions. You’ll suggest ways to use grazing animals as tools to improve and sustain natural resources. You’ll offer advice on water management, invasive species control, and sustainable forage production. Whether landowners want to use their lands to support livestock, wildlife, recreation, or a combination of these, you’ll tailor conservation plans that will help landowners meet their goals.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in range management or a related discipline from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable, the program must have included:

  1. at least 42 semester hours in a combination of plant, animal, and soil sciences and natural resource management, with at least 18 semester hours in range management including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning;
  2. at least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least 1 hour in each of these three scientific areas in courses in such as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable; and
  3. at least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects in subject areas such as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.
Rangeland Management Specialist

Risk Management Specialist

Risk Management Specialists use their skills to identify possible risks that could result in lower cash flow and higher insurance rates. They conduct numerous, diverse activities across the agency, such as: writing insurance policies, underwriting guidance, or loss adjustment procedures; providing services in underwriting, loss adjustment or policy implementation in a field office to policyholders and insurance providers, conducting the mapping of soils and perceived risks based on weather data, soil surveys, satellite imagery, and insurance history; evaluating risk and writing insurance contracts based on the risk; evaluating farming practices used by policyholders and conducting actuarial reviews.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business, agricultural education, agricultural economics, domestic agricultural development, farm management, agronomy, horticulture, pest management or other agricultural specialty areas from an accredited college or university.

Requires agricultural knowledge, the ability to analyze data and reports, assess risk, and evaluate policy and procedure.

Risk Management Specialist

Soil Conservationist

As a Soil Conservationist, most of your time is spent in the field working with farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other land users. You’ll offer conservation planning and technical help to everyone from family farmers to local government officials.

You’ll suggest ways to help them conserve the soil, improve water quality, manage nutrients, restore wetlands, and protect and improve wildlife habitat.

You’ll make presentations and demonstrate conservation to clubs and organizations and provide outreach for agency programs. You’ll assist in setting local conservation priorities and then help carry them out. And you’ll be able to see the results of your work on the land.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree that includes a major field of study in soil conservation or a related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable, the program must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semesters hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science of which three semester hours must be in soils and three semester hours in crops or plant science.

Soil Conservation Technician

Soil Scientist

As a Soil Scientist, you’ll map and classify soils. You’ll educate our employees, partners and customers about the principles of soil health management. You’ll use digital and satellite imagery to map soils and write descriptions. You’ll sample soils and evaluate their quality, and work with information on watersheds, water quality, and changes in land-use patterns. Your work will include scientific work in the investigation of soils, their management, and their adaptation for alternative uses. Such work requires knowledge of chemical, physical, mineralogical and biological properties and processes of the soils and their relations to climate, physiographic, and biological influences.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in soil science or a closely related discipline from an accredited college or university.

To be acceptable, the program must have included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility.

Soil Scientist

Statistician

Statisticians analyze data and apply mathematical and statistical techniques to help solve real-world problems. As a Statistician, you would perform, advise on, or work with data to develop presentations, reports, or issue actuarial values to be used in the administration of the crop insurance program. You would also provide information and advice to program managers; review program and office actuarial submissions for reasonableness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and guidelines.

Qualifications:

A four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, mathematics, statistical analysis, or other agricultural or mathematics field from an accredited college or university.

Requires ability to apply statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, interpret, and/or report quantified information.

Statistician

FPAC Agencies

FSA

FSA has two primary functions: farm programs and farm loan programs. These programs support producers, from beginning farmers and ranchers who need access to loans to start up their operations to established producers who endured catastrophic weather events and need disaster assistance or a strong financial safety net.

Career Paths include: Accountant, Compliance Investigator, County Operations Trainee, Economist, Engineer, Farm Loan Officer Trainee (Farm Loan Assistant), Farm Loan Program Technician, Statistician

FSA photo

NRCS

NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to put conservation on the ground to protect soil and water while providing wildlife habitat. Keeping our soil healthy is very important as food production increases to ensure we’ll be able to feed the world for generations to come.

Career Paths include: Economist, Engineer, Rangeland Management Specialist, Soil Conservationalist, Soil Scientist

NRCS Photo

RMA

RMA manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to provide innovative crop insurance products to America’s farmers and ranchers. Approved Insurance Providers sell and service federal crop insurance policies in every state and Puerto Rico through a public-private partnership with RMA. RMA backs the AIPs who share the risks associated with catastrophic losses due to major weather events.

Career Paths include: Accountant, Compliance Investigator, Economist, Management Analyst, Risk Management Specialist, Statistician

RMA Photo

Business Center

The Business Center ensures all the administrative and mission support offices collaborate and run smoothly. These offices include human resources, financial management, information technology, customer experience, and many others.

Career Paths include: Accountant, Compliance Investigator, Human Resources Specialist, Information Technology Specialist, Public Affairs Specialist, Management Analyst

Business Center Meeting