Vegetation and Pest Control Specialist

VEGETATION AND PEST CONTROL SPECIALIST

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The open eligible list established through this recruitment will be used to fill current and future Vegetation and Pest Control Specialist positions within the OC Public Works.

This recruitment will be posted for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain posted on a continuous basis until the needs of the agency are met. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. 

Deadline has been extended for first round of consideration:  
February 2nd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m.

OC PUBLIC WORKS

OC Public Works provides services on a regional basis to unincorporated areas, to cities, and to other County agencies and departments. The primary mission of the department is to protect and enrich the community through efficient delivery and maintenance of public works infrastructure, planning, and development services. OC Public Works core values are integrity, accountability, service and trust.

OC Public Works is a unique County department. The Executive Team is comprised of the Public Works Director and two Assistant Directors leading Customer Service and Engineering Service Branches. The team leads ten service areas: OC Development Services; OC Fleet Services; OC Administrative Services; OC Facilities Design & Construction; OC Facilities Maintenance & Central Utilities Facility; OC Infrastructure Programs; OC Construction; OC Operations & Maintenance; OC Survey; and OC Environmental Resources.

Click here for more information about OC Public Works

Click here for more information about the County of Orange

THE OPPORTUNITY
OC Public Works has an excellent opportunity for a Vegetation & Pest Control Specialist to conduct field inspections in flood channels and river beds, and monitor the type and quantity of pesticides used in pest control. This single position class is charged with the responsibility for prescribing herbicides and associated chemicals to be used by County crews performing vegetation abatement and control. Incumbent is required to possess a valid Pest Control Advisors License and is held by the County and State to be responsible for specifying, monitoring and accounting for types and quantities of herbicides used by County crews. Work requires incumbent to work independently and requires a considerable degree of independent Judgment.

Under general direction, inspects County rights-of-way for undesirable or overgrown vegetation; prepares work orders; estimates time, personnel, materials and equipment required; specifies and monitors type and quantity of herbicides and chemicals used in vegetation control; schedules and monitors annual vegetation control programs; and performs other duties as assigned.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES

In addition to the minimum qualifications for Vegetation and Pest Control Specialist, the ideal candidate will possess any combination of education and experience sufficient to demonstrate competency in the required knowledges and abilities. These knowledges and skills are generally obtained by graduation from high school or possession of a General Education Certificate (GED) with coursework in basic math, algebra, drafting, English composition, earth science, botany, and biology and three (3) years' experience in vegetation control programs.

Technical Expertise
The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in a technical area.

• Employ mathematical calculations necessary to formulate herbicide and pesticide quantities, calculate area footage, and calculate cost-estimates and cost-recovery.
• Evaluate conditions of areas to be treated and determine pesticide usage
• Estimate scope of work and compute quantitative requirements for personnel, materials and equipment
• Read, understand, interpret, and comply with laws, pesticide labels, and technical regulations of vegetation and pest control
• Identify vegetation, fungi and plant growth indigenous to the area; determine over or problematic growth; and specify corrective action
• Observe, organize, and analyze facts, including statistical and technical data, and develop logical conclusions.

• Safe work practices and identify hazards relating to the proper use of pesticides
• The ability to identify and determine problematic vegetation growth and specify corrective action
• Safe use of mechanical, manual, biological and pesticide vegetation control
• The ability to determine the most environmentally appropriate pesticide usage for each target species

• Process work requests submitted by the OC Parks and other County agencies
• Handle citizen complaints with tact and provide resolution in a timely manner
• Anticipate and meet the needs of citizens and the general public
• Provide job cost information to contracted agencies and other county facilities

• Effectively dealing with Managers, Supervisors, Co-workers, Outside jurisdictions, and members of the General Public
• Preparing and submitting monthly and annual reports of pesticide usage to State and Local agencies
• Maintaining records of vegetation abatement and control programs
• Conducting oral presentations to introduce new pesticides into the group
• Preparing written recommendations and work orders

See well enough to read fine print and to see close environmental surroundings; hear and speak well enough to converse on telephone and 2-way radio; body mobility to walk on uneven terrain, climb in and out of flood control channels and river beds, and climb in and out of standard pick-up truck; manual dexterity to write legibly and input data on keyboard and calculator; and stamina to drive for up to eight to ten hour periods.

LICENSE REQUIRED

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class C or Higher by the date of appointment.
• Possession of a Pest Control Advisor's License issued by the State of California, as required by applicable regulations. (Categories: Weeds, Rodents and Insects)

Human Resource Services screens all applications to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications. After the initial screening, those who met minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All candidates will be notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the process.

Oral Interview (Weighted 100%): Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION: Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.


QUESTIONS
For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Nam Tran at (714) 667.1622 or Nam.Tran@ocpw.ocgov.com

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.