Salary
$45,243.99 – $86,125.45 Annually
Location
Camarillo and may be required to travel throughout Ventura County, CA
Job Type
Various
Job Number
0514AGR-23AA (EO)
Department
Agricultural Commissioner
Opening Date
08/31/2023
Closing Date
Continuous
Description
What We Offer
The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. Aside from our base salary range, an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following:
A general salary increase (GSI) of 4.0% effective December 24, 2023 and 3.5% effective December 22, 2024.
New Hire/Retention/Referral Incentive: New hires may be eligible for a one-time New Hire Incentive up to 10% of the current annual base wage. (Subject to the applicable section of the Management Resolution (Secs. 625 627)
Educational Incentive for completion of an associate degree (2.5%), a bachelor’s degree (3.5%), or a graduate degree (5%) that is not required for the position.
Annual Leave Redemption/Accrual: The option to cash out up to 100 hours out of 208 total accrued Annual Leave hours per year. A candidate selected for this position will earn 208 hours per year increasing to 288 hours after 5 years of service.
Deferred Compensation: Section 457 Plan and/or 401(k) Shared Savings Plan with up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
Health Plans: You are afforded a flexible credit allowance of up to $21,450 annually for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.
Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
Pension Plan: Participation in the County’s defined benefit plan which has reciprocity with CalPERS.
Bilingual Incentive: Proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II), or $1.32 per hour (Level III).
Holidays: 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
THE COUNTY
Ventura County is located on California’s “Gold Coast,” approximately 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 20 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. Residents enjoy rolling hills and sweeping ocean views in a nearly perfect Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of 74.2 degrees. The beauty and weather combined with a wonderful quality of life are among the many reasons our residents choose to call Ventura County “home.”
THE OFFICE
The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office is the leader in promoting and protecting agriculture in Ventura County. Working together with all Ventura County stakeholders, the Agricultural Commissioner builds the necessary structures for long term success into the future. The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office identifies challenges as they are forming and quickly develops appropriate actions to reach a positive outcome. Excellence of service and continued improvement are key parts of the very structure and operation of the Department.
The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner spends most staff time on four major program areas: Pesticide Use Enforcement and Environmental Monitoring; Pest Exclusion and Pest Eradication; Pest Mitigation including the Pierce’s Disease Control Program; and Standards and Compliance. The Agricultural Commissioner has separate divisions dedicated to these programs and participates in several smaller and more limited programs.
THE AGRICULTURAL INSPECTOR/BIOLOGIST SERIES
The Agricultural Inspector/Biologist class series is responsible for programs that monitor compliance issues within the agricultural industries of Ventura County. The role of these classifications is to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of consumers and industry workers, as well as the environment. To address the business needs of the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, it is the goal of this class series to progress incumbents to the advanced journey level of Senior. At each successive level in this series, incumbents are required to acquire and maintain specific licenses, exercise greater independent judgment, and handle assignments requiring broader knowledge with less supervision. The Agricultural Inspector class series differs from the Supervising Agricultural Inspector by the latter’s full supervisory responsibilities.
Under immediate (Associate), general (Inspector/Biologist), or limited (Senior) supervision, the incumbent receives training (Associate) and performs a variety of progressively responsible and complex agricultural inspection, investigation, and certification functions pursuant to the enforcement of the California Food and Agricultural Code, California Code of Regulations, Business and Professions Code, Health and Safety Code, Labor Code, and Ventura County Ordinances, all of which govern the work of the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.
The ideal candidate will have graduated from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or other academic discipline or related science, possess one or more related licenses issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and have at least six (6) months of experience in agriculture and/or agricultural inspection. Critical to success in these positions are excellent communication skills, effective inter-personal and collaborative skills, and the skills needed to work effectively as a team member.
APPROXIMATE SALARY:
Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate: $21.75 – $30.83 hourly
Agricultural Inspector/Biologist: $26.67 – $37.80 hourly
Senior Agricultural Inspector/Biologist: $29.58 – $41.41 hourly
NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed Term), Intermittent, Extra-help vacancies. There is currently one (1) Intermittent position within the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. Note: An Intermittent status employee is a person employed for intermittent/temporary work on a day-to-day basis; Intermittent employees are not eligible for benefits and limited to work 1,664 hours per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
The Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate through Senior are represented by Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU) and are eligible for overtime compensation.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: Thursday, August 31, 2023
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS: Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis beginning the week of September 11, 2023.
To learn about the Agricultural Commissioner Department and the Agricultural industry in Ventura County, please visit: http://www.ventura.org/agricultural-commissioner.
Examples Of Duties
Depending on level, area of assignment, and licensure, duties may include but are not limited to the following:
Enforces pesticide use laws and regulations, issues restricted material permits and monitors usage; monitors and inspects pesticide use by pest control businesses, private applicators, government, and commercial applicators, including agricultural and non-agricultural uses (structural, institutional, and industrial), for regulatory compliance; inspects and supervises the application of state and federally restricted materials; analyzes compliance history and recommends appropriate actions;
Inspects and certifies agricultural commodities in preparation for export from Ventura County and certifies the products in accordance with State, County, Federal and Foreign quarantines; may issue Certificates of Quarantine Compliance and Phytosanitary Export Certificates;
Inspects imported agricultural commodities at post offices, express carriers, trucking companies, personal residences, and various other points of entry to ensure compliance with quarantine requirements;
Inspects and certifies production and wholesale nursery stock for regulatory compliance; inspects and samples plant material, hard surfaces, water, soil, fruits, vegetables, seeds, feed grain, and other agricultural commodities in growing areas, the field and markets, packing houses, mills, and storage areas for compliance with laws and regulations;
Inspects agricultural fields, wholesale packing companies, and retail outlets to ensure agricultural commodities comply with California State quality, maturity, labeling, and packaging standards;
Inspects and certifies California Certified Farmers’ Markets and Certified Producers and California State Organic Program Registrants;
Registers farm labor contractors and performs worker safety inspections, employer records audits, and employee safety record audits;
Investigates complaints involving the misuse of pesticides and addresses concerns regarding pesticide application; investigates a variety of incidents, such as pesticide-related illnesses, reports of loss, environmental effects, plant quarantine violations, Right To Farm Ordinance complaints, Direct Marketing and Organic violations, etc.; gathers samples and evidence and prepares investigative reports; reviews and evaluates evidence to ascertain if a violation has occurred and recommends appropriate action, including potential enforcement actions;
Issues compliance actions such as notices of violation, cease and desist orders, and letters of warning; participates in documented compliance interviews and follows up to ensure compliance;
Prepares and maintains detailed inspection reports, investigations, and daily workload reports;
Participates in and conducts continuous pest detection surveys and identifies common insects, weeds, plants, and diseases;
Inspects and samples bee colonies for disease, registration and proper identification procedures;
Participates in education and outreach activities to the general public and the regulated community regarding agriculturally-related issues; assists in the preparation and delivery of continuing education for permittees and pest control licenses holders; creates informational documents; makes oral presentations to the public, etc.;
Operates sensitive field and lab equipment necessary for identification, sampling, and determining compliance with set standards;
Collects data regarding Crop Statistics and Disaster Assessments;
Leads and participates in inspection activities within area of assignment (Senior);
Performs other related duties as required.
Typical Qualifications
These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list. EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate
A current, valid license in one or more categories as a County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture; OR,
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more qualified disciplines in agricultural, biological, chemical or physical sciences; OR,
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: 1) Agriculture, 2) Biological Science, 3) Chemical Science, 4) Physical Science, 5) Mathematics, and/or 6) Statistics.
NOTE: If you are qualifying on education alone without any of the licenses listed below issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, verification of the bachelor’s degree or college-level coursework is required. Submit your college diploma, and/or transcripts/grade reports from an accredited college or university which reflect passing grades in the required subject areas, to County Human Resources within 3 days of the closing date of this recruitment. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. If you need additional time, please contact the recruitment analyst referenced at the bottom of this bulletin.
Degree(s) from a foreign institution require an academic credential evaluation to determine the U.S. equivalency.
If the name on this documentation is different from the name on your application, include documents that show the name change (e.g., a marriage certificate).
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Employees hired as an Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate are required to obtain and maintain one (1) of the five (5) core licenses/certification listed below within (1) year of appointment and one (1) additional license/certification listed below within two (2) years of appointment.
Agricultural Inspector/Biologist
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more qualified disciplines in agricultural, biological, chemical or physical sciences, or other academic discipline that meets the minimum qualifications for the County Agricultural Inspector licensing examination for the State of California; AND,
Two (2) years of experience performing the full range and scope of duties comparable to Ventura County’s Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate; AND,
Possession and maintenance of three (3) of the core licenses issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, which are listed below.
Senior Agricultural Inspector/Biologist
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more qualified disciplines in agricultural, biological, chemical or physical sciences, or other academic discipline that meets the minimum qualifications for the County Agricultural Inspector licensing examination for the State of California; AND,
Two (2) years of experience performing the full range and scope of duties comparable to Ventura County’s Agricultural Inspector/Biologist; AND,
Possession and maintenance of all five (5) of the core licenses issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, which are listed below.
LICENSES
There are five (5) core licenses issued by the State of California, and the department may determine which license categories are required for each assignment based on operational needs. The core licenses are:
Pesticide Regulation; Investigation and Environmental Monitoring; Pest Prevention and Plant Regulation; Commodity Regulation; and Integrated Pest Management. In addition, the federal government administers the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service training course for phytosanitary certification.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT
Must possess and maintain a valid California driver license.
Effective written communication skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
DESIRED
For the Agricultural Inspector/Biologist Associate six (6) months experience in agriculture and/or agricultural inspection;
For the Senior Agricultural Inspector/Biologist successful completion, as indicated by receipt of a passing grade, of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service training course on phytosanitary certification administered by the federal government;
Bilingual skills (English and Spanish)
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:
Working (Associate), considerable (Journey-level), or extensive (Senior) knowledge of: the provisions of the California Food and Agricultural Code, California Code of Regulations, Business and Professions Code, Health and Safety Code, Labor Code, Ventura County Ordinances, and related federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the work of the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office; County agricultural products and commodities; personal computer applications and usage.
Ability to: learn to (Associate) interpret and apply agricultural laws and regulations and County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office policies and procedures; learn to (Associate) enforce agricultural standards, laws, and regulations effectively; learn to (Associate) address inspection and enforcement issues that may be challenging and tense, through tact and diplomacy; observe and monitor pesticide applications at 100 yards while driving over uneven terrain; distinguish small insects/pests through a hand lens or microscope; identify potential dangers in the field; detect the presence of chemicals and/or pesticides in open and closed environments; differentiate between colors in order to conduct certain tests; organize and prioritize work; safely operate motor vehicles, tools, and equipment necessary to carry out inspections; read and interpret maps, graphs, and charts; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and customers such as the public, growers, media, schools, etc.
Supplemental Information
Inspection locations where work is performed may be indoors or outdoors, including ships, railroad cars, nurseries, warehouses, residential areas, fields, etc.
Performing essential functions of this job may require incumbents to perform lifting and bending; sitting and/or walking continuously for up to two (2) hours at a time; walking on uneven and/or slippery ground or floor surfaces; or be exposed to unpleasant or hazardous conditions or substances in the field, such as heat, dust, diesel exhaust, inclement weather, chemicals, and noise.
Recruitment Process
FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009. NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another “merit” or “civil service” public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a “merit” or “civil service” style examination, then appointment by “Lateral Transfer” may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information. Note to Applicants: Sufficient information must be provided under the Education/Work Experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement your responses in the above-referenced sections; however, it may not be submitted in lieu of the application. SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE qualifying All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant’s qualifications for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from further consideration. APPLICATION EVALUATION qualifying All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process. TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process. NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence. Responses such as “See Resume” or “Refer to Resume” are not acceptable and may disqualify an applicant from further evaluation. ORAL EXAMINATION 100%: A job-related oral examination may be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list. If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list. Applicants successfully completing the examination process may be placed on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position. For further information about this recruitment, please contact Esmeralda Oseguera via e-mail at Esmeralda.Oseguera@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 477-7268. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE
Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)
(SEIU)
To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.
Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
Retirement FAQ’s (Download PDF reader)
Memorandum of Agreement
Union Codes: UPA, UPC, UPE, UPH, UPI, UPJ, UPT, UWS