USDA Jobs Edinburg TX: 228 Posts, McAllen Hiring Event

USDA jobs in Edinburg, TX are open now: the U.S. Department of Agriculture is hiring for 228 positions at its new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base, and it will hold a three-day hiring event in McAllen from 17 to 19 November 2026. People can apply online through USAJOBS, where postings went live on 10 November, or walk in to the event with a resume and meet hiring managers face to face.

Who is hiring, and why?

The employer is USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). It is staffing a plant that will breed and sterilise New World Screwworm flies, a pest whose larvae attack living tissue in cattle, wildlife and other warm-blooded animals. Releasing sterile male flies stops the insects from reproducing, and it is the main tool the United States has used to keep the pest away from its border.

In a USDA news release carried by KCBD, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said hiring starts this month. The release adds that building work in Edinburg should finish in April 2027 and that the site will be the first plant of its kind on US soil. It is expected to turn out about 100 million sterile flies a week in 2027, rising to roughly 300 million a week at full capacity.

Which roles are open?

USDA has not published a job-by-job list in its announcement, but it has named the broad areas of work.

Exact job titles, grades and pay rates are set out in each vacancy announcement on USAJOBS. Read the announcement for the post you want, because requirements differ widely between a laboratory role and a trades or office role.

When and where is the hiring event?

The long opening hours mean people with day jobs can go in the evening. Hiring managers will be in the room and holding interviews during the event, and staff will also explain how the federal hiring process works and what the jobs at the new plant involve.

Who can apply?

Under Secretary Dudley Hoskins said the event is aimed partly at people who have never thought about working for the government. That suggests USDA wants local applicants from across the Rio Grande Valley, not only existing federal staff.

Federal jobs normally require US citizenship, and each USAJOBS announcement states who may apply. Check that section first so you do not spend time on a post you are not eligible for.

How do I apply?

There are two routes, and you can use both:

1. Online: search for APHIS vacancies in Edinburg on USAJOBS. You need a free USAJOBS account and an uploaded resume.
2. In person: go to the McAllen event on any of the three days with printed copies of your resume.

USDA's release also points candidates to an APHIS page titled "Now Hiring: Texas Moore Air Base" at aphis.usda.gov/careers for event details.

What it means for job seekers

• 228 federal jobs is a large single intake for Hidalgo County, and the mix of trades, office and science roles means it is not only for graduates.
• On-site interviews can shorten what is usually a slow federal hiring process, so attending in person is worth the trip.
• Federal resumes should list employment dates and duties clearly. Prepare yours before the event instead of writing it that morning.
• The plant is due to open in spring 2027, so start dates are likely to follow in the months ahead. Ask about timing at the interview.
• Nothing in the announcement mentions visa sponsorship.

Another federal opening closing soon: Klamath National Forest's 2027 wildland firefighter jobs. Job seekers elsewhere can also try the KansasWorks virtual statewide job fair on 19 November.

More openings: all USA jobs