agricultural technician i - Sacramento County, United States - State of California

Description

Job Posting: Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal)

Department of Food & Agriculture

JC Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal)
AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN I (SEASONAL)

$ $20.61 per Hour

Final Filing Date: Until Filled

Application Methods: Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account) By Mail Drop-off

Job Description and Duties

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

Under the supervision of the Agricultural Pest Control Supervisor, the incumbent will work on assistive and nonprofessional entomological or plant pest field and laboratory work.

• Follow established protocols for visual survey, eradication and detection/delimitation trapping. Service various insect traps, perform visual surveys and insect sweeps, visually inspect for target pest damage on local plant hosts, and conduct eradication treatments (mixing and application of spray materials).

• Collect, process and package suspect plant and insect samples that are removed from foliage using various insect/plant collection tools and inspected for target pests.

• Incumbent must be able to read maps to navigate to multiple locations when performing field activities.

• Must be able to draw maps to show exact geographic locations by using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to show the coordinates; longitude and latitude.

• Complete a Pest Damage Record (PDR) for samples and packaging of samples for submission to the Plant Pest Diagnostics Center for Identification.

• Screen wet and dry traps for target pests (plant and insect). Examine content of traps, which may contain hundreds of plant samples, insects and debris to make preliminary identifications of specimens, which resemble target pests.

• Once a suspect target pest is preliminarily identified, prescribed action is taken, which may include phone contact and/or return of the suspect target pest to the field office for official identification.

• Keep daily reports of work completed, , properties treated, acreage surveyed and samples collected and other topics as needed.

• Travel to different areas within California in order to perform work functions such as survey, trapping and treatment.

• Report to staff in the field office or work out of state vehicle while on travel.

• Use state vehicle or other mode of transportation to get to various locations. Stay in state approved lodging. Keep all receipts in order to complete travel claim when returning home.

• Transport vehicles to service facility. Performs daily vehicle safety and fluid level checks. Cleans vehicle interior and truck bed of insects, lures and other debris.

• Clean, repair and store all survey equipment daily. Notify supervisor when equipment needs repair or replacement

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

Working Conditions

The duties of this position are primarily conducted outdoors. The incumbent works in extremes of weather and temperature. Changes in lighting such as alternating bright sunlight and dark shade are encountered. Noise levels constantly vary. Terrain encountered varies from smooth and stable to irregular and unstable. Incumbent may experience regular exposure to dust, pollen and moisture. Some trap types use a specific chemical insect lure; some of these lures may contain small amounts of pesticide. The work area can be urban or rural.

The incumbent will be required to drive, exit and re-enter the work vehicle numerous times during the workday, must possess a valid CA drivers' license and maintain a good standing driving record to operate a state motor vehicle safely and responsibly, be able to apply pesticides, work well under extreme time constraints, exercise good judgement, 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; work well under pressure; and work independently and in cooperation with other staff members in completing assigned duties and meeting required deadlines.

Employee may be required to travel by state or rental vehicle to perform field active or other public transportation systems to various locations throughout the state. Must be legally able to rent a car. The incumbent may work various shifts (pre-dawn and after 6:00 pm), weekends, overtime, and possibly a split shift.

The position requires a background check to be cleared prior to being hired. Some of the work will be conducted at airport facilities, inside and around aircraft. The incumbent will be exposed to warm temperatures and loud noise. They may also work alone inside aircraft for extended periods of time.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents