AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN I (SEASONAL)

Job Description and Duties

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

Under the supervision of a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory), the Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal) is responsible for participating in basic activities which pertain to the prevention and spread of Pierce’s Disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

This is a journey-level position in the Pierce’s Disease Control Program of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The incumbent must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during the course of the work;

work well with others, work independently in completing assigned work, take direction and meet required assignment deadlines.

Prioritize and establish work routines in order to deploy insect traps in commercial citrus areas and among other selected crops.

Utilize a state vehicle throughout the territory to monitor GWSS activity.

• Using a state vehicle, inspect insect traps bi-weekly for detection of GWSS and other pests, as needed, in a designated territory.
• Implement a variety of field survey techniques in agricultural areas (e.g. citrus orchards, vineyards, etc) using state vehicle to effectively detect the GWSS infestation and activity in a timely manner.
• Recognize both GWSS and other important pests currently under quarantine or advisories in order to properly identify potential infestations and allow for coordinated program response.
• Recover and sort GWSS traps deployed at citrus orchards in order to send the traps for Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) screening to CDFA Pest Detection and Emergency Projects (PD / EP).
• Conduct other duties as requested by the PDCP HQ to accomplish its goal in controlling the spread of GWSS and Pierce’s Disease.
• Provide temporary technical assistance as instructed by Supervisor(s) on other duties of PDCP Arvin Field Station, such as GWSS biological control tasks, facility maintenance, and warehouse operation.

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 occur primarily outdoors at a variety of agricultural field and nursery locations, including unpaved roads and private property throughout the state under various types of weather conditions.

The incumbent typically works outside alone in agricultural field setting, inspecting insect traps daily while operating a state motor vehicle.

The incumbent will be required to drive, exit and re-enter the work vehicle many times during the workday. Due to nature of primarily outdoor duties, the trapping employees will be exposed to extremes in temperature, moisture and humidity characteristic to the months of May through October in San Joaquin Valley.

The trapping employees are encouraged to wear clothing, hats, and sturdy footwear appropriate for the outdoor weather conditions and work activities.

The noise level constantly varies. Terrain encountered varies from smooth and stable to irregular and unstable. At agricultural fields, road and ground surface can be wet or very dry and dusty.

Trapping at the agricultural fields requires navigation over plowed, disked or loose ground. The incumbent may experience exposure to dust, pollen, odor, humidity and moisture.

Incumbents may be required to work with pesticides or work at agricultural fields where pesticides were previously sprayed but only after the restricted-entry interval (REI).

Special Requirements

The incumbent must maintain a valid CA Driver’s License and a safe driving record as documented by the Department of Motor Vehicles to operate a state motor vehicle safely and responsibly.

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).

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