AGRICULTURAL PEST CONTROL SPECIALIST

Job Posting : Agricultural Pest Control Specialist

Department of Food & Agriculture

JC-426758 - Agricultural Pest Control Specialist

AGRICULTURAL PEST CONTROL SPECIALIST

$3,893.00 - $5,294.00 per Month

Final Filing Date : Until Filled

Job Description and Duties

Per CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.

The Pest Detection / Emergency Projects Branch is recruiting to fill one (1) Agricultural Pest Control Specialist position located in Los Angeles County.

Under general supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor (SESS), the incumbent performs the full range of technical control and eradication duties including the more difficult work.

The incumbent will plan and organize and direct the work of field crews for various fruit fly delimitation programs, maintain fruit fly trapping routes, coordinate the application of pesticides, maintain pesticide inventory and vehicle fleet, oversee pesticide applications performed by outside vendors, lead fruit removal, communicate with the public at educational public meetings, coordinate with other agencies, and perform various insect / disease surveys for the emergency eradication of targeted pests.

These activities include overseeing treatment activities, preparing written reports, performing quality control inspections for treatment-survey-trapping programs, training new employees, and acting as the back-up trapper / applicator.

The incumbent will take lead in preparing detection, delimitation, and eradication assignments and reports according to Action Plans or program recommendations.

• Provide leadership and direction to seasonal staff of an ongoing county detection / eradication program and ensure eradication projects are in compliance with Food and Agricultural Codes and departmental policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with Supervisor on planning and implementation of cooperative pest detection and emergency response activities, including prioritizing work assignments for office and field personnel.
• Train emergency project personnel on the techniques of insect pest detection, pesticide laws and regulations, including pesticide safety training, mixing pesticides, permit procedures, calibration, and application.
• Conduct field quality control inspections of trapping and treatment staff, treatment vendors, and state-wide detection trapping programs.
• Conduct field demonstrations and on-the-job training for fruit fly trapping delimitation, Japanese beetle high hazard airport inspections and Asian Defoliating Moth program.
• Perform full range of field surveys, eradication treatments, and inspections of detection projects in order to efficiently and quickly eradicate infestation of serious agricultural pests and to prevent permanent establishment and subsequent spreading in California.
• Plan, organize, and monitor the daily operations of a treatment / trapping and survey program and outside vendors to ensure compliance with Department policies and procedures, and State laws, rules, and regulations;

enforce and implement new procedures or processes with seasonal employees, when necessary.

Communicate effectively and in a professional manner with homeowners and / or the general public in order to perform assigned duties.

Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships in all situations using tact and interpersonal skills at all times.

Prepare and complete accurate and detailed technical reports (daily, weekly, and / or as required) as associated with biological control, detection and treatment activities, or other related activities.

Candidates may perform these essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Working Conditions

The duties of this position are primarily conducted outdoors and may be exposed to extreme temperatures and weather, uneven terrain, pesticides, fumes, gases, and odors.

The work settings where the incumbent may be required to work may vary. They may be offices, warehouses, shops, fields, and yards.

Office settings are permanent dwellings leased or owned by the state, or cooperating agencies, and office trailers. Offices are furnished with a variety of office equipment, which normally consists of desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, storage cabinets, filing bins, computer, phones, and fax machines.

Shops and warehouses may be equipped with all the tools, equipment, and machinery normally used at mechanics / maintenance shops.

The incumbent is required to drive and must maintain a safe driving record as documented by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

A safe driving record is one free from convictions in the past two years for repeated moving violations, or a single serious violation, such as a drunk driving or reckless driving.

The incumbent must be able to apply pesticides, haul loads of fruit and / or removed trees, perform survey / trapping work, and work well under extreme time constraints, exercise good judgment, determine priorities, make appropriate well-thought-out decisions, allocate staff and resources to achieve maximum results, maintain focus under conditions of duress, and provide accurate assessment of rapidly changing situations (ex : multiple exotic pest detections requiring multiple operations).

The incumbent must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during the course of work, cooperate with other staff members and leads in completing assigned work, communicate effectively verbally and in writing, with other agencies and the public, and be able to meet required deadlines.

To be given access to the airport to inspect planes for Japanese beetle, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires verification of employment history and a criminal history background check.

Individuals must be fingerprinted and pass a 10-year background check to receive an airport badge.

Travel by State vehicle or other public transportation systems to various locations in the project area, and throughout the State is required on a frequent basis to assist various emergency projects as needed;

overnight travel is required on a frequent basis. The incumbent may be required to work overtime, weekends, and holidays.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents