Ag & Standards Inspector II



Job Details

Ag & Standards Inspector II
Employer

County of Yolo

Salary

$22.85 - $27.78 Annually

Location

Woodland, CA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

2018-00069

Department

Agriculture

Division

Agriculture

Opening Date

03/26/2018

Description

The County of Yolo is recruiting for two regular, full-time positions in the class of Agricultural and Standards Inspector II at the Yolo County Department of Agriculture.  The ideal candidate will currently possess the Federal Cooperators' License for Phytosanitary Certification.  Key personal characteristics include the ability to work independently and excellent interpersonal skills to handle challenging customer situations, develop stakeholder relationships, and facilitate solutions between the farmers and the general public who have conflicting points of view.

This recruitment will be open on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit an online County of Yolo Employment Application, responses to supplemental questions, a detailed resume, and verification of education.

For important and detailed information regarding the application and selection process for this recruitment, please see the APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS section of this job announcement below.


Definition
Under general supervision, performs a variety of inspections; investigates and enforces those provisions of the California Food and Agricultural Code, Code of Regulations, Business and Professions Code, National Organic Program and County Ordinances governing the work of the County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer's Office to determine compliance with applicable laws and regulations in either agriculture or weights and measures; conducts enforcement activities; evaluates permits and certificate requests; performs related investigations and public service functions; and performs other related duties as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics
The Yolo County Department of Agriculture and Weights and Measures combines the functions of agricultural inspections and weights and measures inspections in the enforcement of the California Agricultural Code, and the California Business and Professions Code. The Agricultural and Standard Inspector series is utilized in both the agriculture and weights and measures functional areas of the Department of Agriculture and Weights and Measures to perform the services, inspections, and controls required by law. Positions in these classes may perform both agriculture and weights and measures activities.

Agricultural and Standard Inspector II is the journey level classification in the series that requires additional licenses.  Incumbents independently perform assignments in both agriculture and weights and measures disciplines.  

Essential Functions

The following duties are typical of those performed by the incumbent in this classification; however, other duties may also be required.

  • Inspects commodities being shipped to foreign countries and other states; issues Federal and State Phytosanitary Certificates and quarantine compliance notices for commodities.
  • Inspects and certifies seed fields for plant disease; inspects grain mills, facilities and growing areas for certification of post-quarantine commodities.
  • Conducts pesticide illness and crop/damage loss complaint investigations.
  • Trains and coordinates pest detection activities including trapping insects and noxious weed control; surveys areas in the county for primary noxious weeds.
  • Investigates and determines industry compliance and recommends remedial measures used in enforcement of agricultural or weights and measures laws such as verbal suggestions, notice of non-compliance, conducting office hearings, ordering destruction of commodities, issuing certificates of compliance and citing violators.
  • Disseminates information to the general public, community groups, government agencies and private industry about Agriculture and Weights and Measures.
  • Investigates complaints of short weight or measure.
  • Conducts surveys to detect pests.
  • Assists in nuisance abatement or pest control.
  • Assists in civil/criminal prosecution or other legal action for consumer fraud or agricultural law violations; submits evidence and records; and may advocate administrative hearings.
  • Writes reports and correspondence and makes oral presentations.
  • Registers and regularly inspects apiaries for presence or absence of bee diseases; collects and submits samples; issues hold orders if appropriate.
  • Inspects incoming shipments of plant materials and other restricted articles at receiving points for compliance with plant quarantine laws and regulations; orders quarantined shipments to be treated, destroyed, or returned to origin.
  • Inspects fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and honey at wholesale and retail for compliance with state and federal grades, standards and labeling requirements; issues notices of non-compliance an disposal orders as necessary.
  • Inspects nurseries for compliance with pest cleanliness, grades, standards, and labeling requirements; collects, prepares and submits pests specimens; issues off-sale orders and notices of violation as required.
  • Conducts pesticide use inspections and surveillance; issues restricted use pesticide permits and monitors all pesticide use, registers pests control operators, advisors, and pilots.
  • Inspects commercial weighing and measuring devices; inspects petroleum establishments and performs weighmaster audit inspections.
  • Samples and weighs packaged commodities at retail and wholesale for compliance with weights and measures laws and regulations; issues off-sale orders as required.
  • Some positions may also require the performance of different essential or marginal functions depending upon work location, assignment, or shift. 

Employment Standards

Education: Possession of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college/university with a specialization in one or more appropriate disciplines in agricultural, biological, chemical, or physical science as approved by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Experience: One (1) year experience comparable to that of an Agricultural and Standard Inspector I in the County of Yolo.

Licensure: Possession of at least three (3) core licenses of eligibility as a County Agricultural Biologist or County Weights and Measures Inspector as determined by the Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures, and possession of the Federal Cooperators' License for phytosanitary certification or ability to obtain certification within one year from date of appointment. Ability to obtain and maintain required licenses is a condition of continued employment. 
 
Core Licenses: Pesticide Regulation, Investigation and Environmental Monitoring, Integrated Pest Management, Commodity Regulation, Pest Prevention and Plant Regulation, Weight Verification, Measurement Verification or Transaction and Product Verification.

Positions in this classification require incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California driver's license, Class C or higher, to carry out job related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation.

Knowledge of: biological, agricultural and physical sciences related to the tasks of the department; local farming principles and practices; modern methods and equipment for testing weights and measures services; agricultural pests and diseases commonly found in California.

Ability to: interpret, explain and enforce applicable laws, regulations and procedures; inspect and test commercial weighing and measuring devices; recognize plant pests and diseases; investigate incidents or cases, such as pesticide illness or consumer complaints; operate a computer to access, input and analyze data; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; work independently in the field; adapt to new work situations; keep accurate records, prepare reports, and submit in a timely manner.

In addition, an Agricultural & Standard Inspector II requires:

Working knowledge of: disciplines of both agricultural inspection and weights and measures inspection; state and federal laws and regulations, and local ordinances regarding the work of the County Agricultural Commissioner or County Sealer of Weights and Measure Office; general operation and use of computer hardware and standard application software related to unit functions.

Application & Selection Process

It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.

Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the final filing date.  Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement.  A resume should be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.  In addition to a completed application and resume, applicants are required to submit a completed supplemental questionnaire, and verification of education for this position.  Incomplete applications will be disqualified.  
Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Office in any one or more of the following ways:

  • As an attachment to the online application
  • By e-mail to jobs@yolocounty.org
  • By fax to (530) 666-8049
  • By hand-delivery to 625 Court Street, Room 101, Woodland, CA 95695. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Selection Procedure
The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process.  The selection process steps, and all listed dates, may change with or without notice.
 
* Screen for Minimum Qualifications
* Screen for Best Qualified
* Department Selection Interviews
* Reference Checks
* Tentative Job Offer/Livescan/Drug & Alcohol Screen
 
Verification of Education
Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded. 

For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.

Please do not send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.

All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site (http://www.iau-aiu.net/content/institutions).

Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following:
 
1. A written statement from a U.S accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.

Note: Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.

EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE 601 University Ave., Suite 127 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 921-0790 www.eres.com  
FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE P.O. Box 151739 San Diego, CA 92175
(619) 265-5810 www.documentservice.org 
CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC. P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817 (714) 237-9272 www.iescaree.com 
GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC. 409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393 Redondo Beach, CA 90277 (310) 828-5709 www.globaleval.org
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS EVALUATION SERVICE P.O. Box 3665 Culver City, CA 90231-3665 (310) 258-9451 www.ierf.org 

Screening for Best Qualified
The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.  If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.  Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.  If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.  Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant's education, training, and experience will be evaluated to determine those applicants that are best qualified. 

Contact Information
For questions about the position or about employment with the County, please contact Human Resources by e-mail at jobs@yolocounty.org or by phone at (530) 666-8055.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the County of Yolo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance.  The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.  Reasonable testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities or who are unable to attend a scheduled test due to religious reasons in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call the County of Yolo Human Resources Office at (530) 666-8055 at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled test date to request accommodation. Documentation from a medical doctor, rehabilitation counselor, or other qualified professional will be required.

RETIREMENT

Were you hired into a CalPERS or other public agency reciprocal system for the first time on or before January 1, 2013?  If so, you most likely have "Classic" member status.  Classic members of CalPERS (or CalPERS reciprocal) agencies who come to work for Yolo County will remain Classic members! 

"Classic" member CalPERS retirement formulas are:

Misc: 2.5% at 55
Safety: 3.0% at 55
Deputy Sheriff Safety: 3.0% at 50

"New" member CalPERS retirement formulas (for employees hired into a CalPERS agency for the first time after January 1, 2013) are:

Misc: 2% @ 62
Safety: 2.7% @ 57

BENEFITS
The County of Yolo offers a generous benefits package including:

 - Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
 - CalPERS Retirement
 - Deferred Compensation Plans
 - Flexible Spending Accounts
 - Employee Assistance Program
 - Vacation, Sick, and Administrative Leave 
 - Holidays & Floating Holidays 
 - Disability Plans
 - Social Security & Medicare

Benefits for County positions are specific to the bargaining unit of the position. The Salary Resolution (accessible here) identifies the bargaining unit for each County classification.

Once you've identified the bargaining unit, you can look up the benefits for a particular position by going to our Benefits Summaries by Bargaining Unit page on our website, by clicking here.

01
The job bulletin for this class outlines the steps in the application and selection process, and contains all necessary information that an applicant will need to complete and submit a complete application packet. Complete application packets MUST be submitted prior to the final filing date. Candidates will not be given additional time to submit additional information. I have read and certify that I understand the application instructions for this position. I understand that all required documents must be submitted by the final filing date, and I have reviewed the job bulletin to ensure I understand what is required to submit a complete application packet.
  • Yes
  • No
02
I have read the above instructions and understand that my responses to the supplemental questions are required, and my responses will be used to determine the best qualified candidates for this job. I certify that my responses are accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that should my name be placed on an eligible list and it is later found that my responses are inaccurate, my name will be immediately removed from the eligible list and I will be deemed ineligible for consideration for employment in this class with Yolo County.
  • Yes
  • No
03
I certify that I have a Bachelor's Degree or higher in the following field:
  • Agricultural Science
  • Biological Science
  • Chemical Science
  • Physical Science
  • Physics
  • Other Bachelor's Degree
  • I do not have a Bachelor's Degree
04
I possess the following State of California Department of Food and Agriculture licenses (select as many as apply):
  • Pesticide Regulation
  • Investigation and Environmental Monitoring
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Commodity Regulation
  • Pest Prevention and Plant Regulation
  • Weight Verification
  • Measurement Verification
  • Transaction and Product Verification
  • None of the Above
  • All of the Above
05
Do you possess the Federal Cooperators' License for Phytosanitary Certification?
  • Yes
  • No
06
Describe your training and/or experience working with/around pesticides. Include the types of pesticides and equipment that you have used.
07
Provide an example that demonstrates your ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.

* Required Question

Employer
County of Yolo
Address
625 Court Street, Room 101

Woodland, California, 95695
Phone
(530) 666-8055

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