Agricultural/Standards Technician

Job Description:

Agricultural/Standards Technician

Description

CAREER DESCRIPTION

AGRICULTURAL / STANDARDS TECHNICIAN

SALARY INFORMATION
Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and the successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive salary range increases on the following dates:

Effective June 27, 2025 - 4.00% increase

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment will establish an open eligible list and may be used to fill immediate and future Agricultural / Standards Technician vacancies within the County of Orange - OC Public Works. The eligible list established from this recruitment may also be used to fill full time, limited term, or extra help positions in similar and/or lower classifications within the same occupational series throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY
This recruitment will be open for a minimum of five (5) business days. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately, as the recruitment will close on
Monday, November 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM (PST)

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 the sustainable delivery of projects and services. OC Public Works’ guiding principles are safety, integrity, quality, teamwork, and adaptability.

OCPW is a unique County department comprised of ten (10) service areas: Administrative Services; Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures; OC Construction; OC Development Services; OC Environmental Resources; OC Fleet Services; OC Facilities Design & Construction; OC Facilities Maintenance; OC Infrastructure Programs; and OC Operations & Maintenance.

The Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures Office is comprised of three functional divisions: Agricultural Services programs, Pesticide Use Enforcement programs, and Weights & Measures programs. The Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures has the responsibility of enforcing State-mandated agricultural and pesticide laws and regulations, and the inspection of commercial weighing and measuring devices throughout the County. With the goals of preventing exotic plant pests and diseases from harming California's agricultural industry and environment; protecting residents, users, and the environment from pesticide hazards; and protecting consumers and businesses by providing a basis of value comparison and fair competition.

For more information on the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights & Measures’ Office click here .
For more information on OC Public Works click here .
For more information on the County of Orange click here .

THE OPPORTUNITY
Under supervision, incumbents learn and perform inspections in Agricultural Programs, Pesticide Use Enforcement, and/or Weights & Measures as licensed employees of the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights & Measures office; and to do other work as required.

This is the entry-level classification used to provide employees with the experience required for the journey-level classification in the Agricultural/Standards Inspector series. Incumbents work under general supervision while learning job tasks, progressing as the procedures and processes of the assigned areas of responsibilities are learned. Incumbents in this classification must obtain, within one year of employment, at least one state license in their area of assignment. Incumbents who have not received the appropriate license prior to the end of the probationary period will not pass probation. Incumbents are expected to demonstrate progressive proficiency and independence in performing the duties outlined below and eventually possess at least three state licenses and one year of experience as a licensed technician to advance to the Agricultural/Standards Inspector class.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES

In addition to the minimum qualification requirements, an ideal candidate must possess thorough or general knowledge in the following core competencies:

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

• Interpret and apply State laws and local policies
• Perform technical fieldwork in one or more functional areas
• Preparation of reports and maintaining records
• Computer literacy with knowledge in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Knowledge of simple calculations and elementary understanding of statistical methods and probabilities as it relates to agriculture and/or weights and measures

INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT

• Ability to prioritize assignments and complete tasks as given
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision
• Exercise independent discretion and judgment in choosing courses of action in the field
• Understands the impact and implications of decisions and consider conflicting needs, options, and information to make tough decisions, even when data is limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Demonstrates effective communication
• Clearly explain complex regulations and instructions to the public or business owners
• Communicates and enforces requirements tactfully and firmly
• Speak, read, write, and understand English at the level for successful job performance
• Selects appropriate verbiage and examples tailored to the level and experience of the audience

EDUCATION REQUIRED

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college in any discipline with a minimum of 30-semester units, or equivalent, in one or any combination of the following disciplines:

• Agricultural Science
• Biological Science
• Chemical Science
• Mathematics
• Physical Science
• Statistics

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• Must have a valid California Class C Driver's license for this position and must be maintained throughout employment. Depending on assignment, some positions in this class may require possession of a valid Commercial California Class B Driver's License.
• Possession of at least one of the following State of California licenses in an incumbent’s area of assignment within one (1) year of employment:
• Commodity Regulations
• Integrated Pest Management
• Investigation and Environmental Monitoring
• Measurement Verification
• Pesticide Regulation
• Pest Prevention and Plant Regulation
• Transaction and Product Verification
• Weight Verification

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to view the complete classification description, including the physical and mental requirements as well as the environmental and working conditions for the Agricultural/Standards Technician.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all application materials for minimum and/or desirable qualifications. After screening, applicants who meet the minimum and/or desirable qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those candidates that meet the qualifications listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Online Assessment | (100% Weighted)
Applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in one or more job-related assessments. Applicants will be notified of their test date and access code, if applicable. Only the most qualified applicants will move forward to the next step in the recruitment process.

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

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19 RELATED REQUIREMENTS

Effective April 3, 2023, it is strongly recommended that County employees working in health care settings and correctional facilities follow vaccination and booster guidelines provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please click here to see the latest guidance for more details.

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 Linette Lavey at 714-667-9751 or by email at Linette.Lavey@ocpw.ocgov.com .

EEO INFORMATION

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

Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information

Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

Closing Date/Time: 11/25/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$54,516.80 - $72,800.00 Annually