PEST PREVENTION ASSISTANT II (VARIOUS PROJECTS)

Job Description and Duties

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

This is a 12-month Limited Term (LT) position that may be extended to 24 months or become permanent.

Under the general supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) or the Agriculture Program Supervisor I the incumbent will perform the full range of field, laboratory or staff support duties, for various fruit fly delimitation programs, maintain fruit fly trapping routes, coordinate the application of pesticides, maintain pesticide inventory and vehicle fleet maintenance, oversee pesticide applications performed by outside vendors, perform fruit removal and tree removal, communicate with the public at educational public meetings, coordinate with other agencies, and perform various insect / disease surveys for targeted pests for the emergency eradication.

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 may act as lead in preparing detection, delimitation, and eradication assignments and reports according to Action Plans or program recommendations.

• Perform the more difficult field, laboratory or staff duties, to deploy traps, perform visual surveys, or apply control measures for target pests such as, but not limited to various fruit flies, Japanese beetle, Spongy Moth, European Grapevine Moth.
• Plan, organize, and monitor a trapping, visual survey, or treatment route 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.
• Assemble equipment and mix chemicals using the appropriate treatment and equipment method; assure that Department is in compliance with all pesticide rules and regulations.
• Work with field staff in solving technical problems such as equipment breakdowns and trap deployment, using effective communication skills, knowledge, manuals, and / or facility operational procedures.
• 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.

Must read maps to navigate to multiple locations when performing field activities and be able to draw maps to show exact geographic locations.

Uses GPS technology to site register sample and packages samples separately to maintain sample and site integrity.

• Prepare and complete accurate and detailed technical reports, digitally and hard copy, (daily, weekly, and / or monthly, as required) as associated with detection and treatment activities, biological control activities, or other related activities.
• On an as-needed basis, travel to various locations throughout the State operating a state vehicle safely and responsibly in order to inspects routes, survey areas, and treatment activities to assure that work is performed at an acceptable level.
• Assist with training seasonal employees on proper host identification, drawing property diagrams, correct trap placement, baiting / application procedures, the biological aspects of the pest.

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

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

The duties of this position are primarily conducted outdoors and may be exposed to extreme temperatures and weather, uneven terrain, and various noise levels.

Incumbent may experience regular exposure to dust, pollen, and moisture. The work can be in urban or rural environments.

Some trap types use a specific chemical insect lure; some of these lures may contain small amounts of pesticide. The incumbent may work within an office / warehouse environment furnished with a variety of office equipment, which normally consists of desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, storage cabinets, filing bins, computers, computer peripherals, phones, answering machines, photocopiers, and fax machines.

The incumbent will be required to drive and must have a valid driver license and 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 drunk driving or reckless driving.

The incumbent will be required to drive, exit, and re-enter the work vehicle numerous times during the workday and maintain a safe driving record.

The incumbent must be able to apply pesticides, haul loads of fruit and / or removed trees, perform survey 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.

The incumbent may be required to work overtime, weekends, and holidays. Travel to various locations throughout the State to attend meetings or trainings related to pest detection and / or treatment and to assist other offices with detection and / or treatment efforts may be required.

This may be accomplished by State vehicle or other public transportation system.

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An enhanced vision plan is also available which provides higher allowances for certain materials and other benefits.