Compliance Specialist

Department of Agriculture

Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; Ph... Full-time $74,678 – $97,087 Closes Jun 26, 2026

Summary

Serve as a Compliance Specialist for USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Care and supports compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA) by assessing potential noncompliance, including public complaints, preparing recommendations to pursue action against noncompliance, and supporting pre-licensing activities by advising applicants on AWA regulations and requirements. See additional information section for information about vacancy locations.

Duties

  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Meets with new license applicants or registrants under the AWA to review regulatory requirements, respond to questions, and provides compliance support materials.
  • Analyzes, prioritizes, and responds to complaints involving alleged violations of the AWA, with a focus on unauthorized activities (unlicensed and unregistered activities, and unauthorized importation).
  • Establishes and maintains working relationships with industry representatives and State, Federal or local government partners who share similar oversight responsibilities and inspect facilities with compliance challenges.
  • Conducts records and business reviews of auctions, airlines, brokers (including online brokerages).
  • and other similar entities to identify individuals who may be engaging in AWA-regulated activities without authorization to do so, and follow up with such individuals to determine whether they require federal oversight.
  • Supports animal confiscation and surrender activities, including documentation, logistical coordination, animal placement and follow-up recommendations for further compliance or enforcement action to other Compliance Assurance Staff personnel.

Education

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by your experience, education, training, responses to the application questionnaire and the responses to all assessments required for this position demonstrated in your application package to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies listed below: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning 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. Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

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.

Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Additional Information – USA Hire Online Assessment If you are applying as a non-competitive eligible, you are not required to complete the online USA Hire assessment associated with this vacancy. If you are not sure if you are applying as a non-competitive eligible, it is recommended that you complete the online USA Hire assessment associated with this vacancy. All competitive eligible applicants are required to complete the online USA Hire assessment to be considered for the position for this vacancy.

Applicants will not be given the opportunity to complete the online USA Hire assessment outside of the assigned assessment window for this vacancy. The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement. To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12990270

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 or downtime, 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) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications.
  • Resume cannot exceed two pages.
  • Only one resume will be reviewed.
  • If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
  • An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information.
  • If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty.
  • Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution.
  • Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program, see: Foreign Education Evaluation.
  • All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
  • Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees: Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade.
  • If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
  • Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (e.g., length of time in current position).
  • A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.
  • Screenshots or printouts of electronic systems, including eHR Apps (ePMA), will not be accepted unless it is of the actual appraisal form with the end-of-year rating summary.
  • If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification (see above) plus the documentation listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
  • Failure to submit these documents could result in a finding that 10-point preference cannot be awarded.
  • Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL 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), last performance appraisal, and the most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

About this role

The Compliance Specialist position with the Department of Agriculture is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Serve as a Compliance Specialist for USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Care and supports compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA) by assessing potential noncompliance, including public complaints, preparing recommendations to pursue action against noncompliance, and supporting pre-licensing activities by advising applicants on AWA regulations and requirements. The role pays $74,678 to $97,087 per year.

Day to day, the work involves the duties may include, but are not limited to: Meets with new license applicants or registrants under the AWA to review regulatory requirements, respond to questions, and provides compliance support materials. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.

Who should apply

Review the announcement's Qualifications section closely, since it defines exactly what federal administrative work experience this Compliance Specialist position requires. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Compliance Specialist position with the Department of Agriculture in Salt Lake City, Utah, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.

How competitive it is

The posted pay of $74,678 to $97,087 per year places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on June 26, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.

This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.

Job Details

Department Department of Agriculture
Job Type Full-time
Location Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; Ph...
Salary $74,678 – $97,087
Pay Period Per Year
Closing Date Jun 26, 2026
Posted Jun 18, 2026
Source ID MP-12990270-26-ACH
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