Department of Food & Agriculture
Location
Sacramento County, CA | United States
Job description
Per CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.
This position is a 12-month limited term appointment that may be extended to a maximum of 24 months or become permanent.
Under the close supervision of the Agricultural Pest Control Supervisor, and under the lead of the Agricultural Pest Control Specialist, the Pest Prevention Assistant I performs the more routine control and eradication tasks for the Beet Curly Top Virus Control Program, including conducting insect and host plant population surveys. The incumbent may also perform various duties associated with other IPCB programs Bollworm Program, Navel Orange Worm Program, and Hydrilla Program within a multi-county area.
Duties include but are not limited to the following:
• Drive to various sites to survey rangeland and fallow fields in order to monitor insect populations using sweep nets, hooks, and traps.
• Conduct visual inspection surveys of agricultural commodities susceptible to BCTV.
• Utilize smart phones and/or tablets with ArcGIS Field Maps application for field mapping and data collection.
• Identify and monitor agricultural pest populations, host plants and susceptible commodities.
• Monitor rainfall throughout survey areas which provides information on possible host plant development.
• Identify threatened and endangered species and report the sighting locations.
• Prepare complete and accurate detailed field reports on a weekly basis.
• Conduct trapping duties for other IPCB programs as needed. This includes setup, routine checks, and removal of insect traps.
• Map potential areas for control.
• Assist with ground-rig control operations.
Please refer to duty statement for more information.
Candidates may perform these essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
You will find additional information about the job in the .
The duties of this position will occur approximately 70% outdoors and 30% indoors.
When working outside, the incumbent is exposed to the environmental extremes in temperature and humidity characteristic to the San Joaquin Valley. The outdoor fieldwork is often performed alone in remote uninhabited areas with limited public services. Road and ground surfaces can be wet, or very dry and dusty, often with only dirt roads or trails in rangeland and agricultural production areas. There is exposure to heat, cold, rain, dust, smoke, insecticides, farm equipment, farm animals, and wild animals. Rangeland traversed (via walking) may have streams, gullies, and washes with steep, uneven ground. Temperatures can range from over 110 degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing.
Some of the work is performed outside in the parking area and/or in a warehouse. At the Fresno facility, the warehouse is usually open to the outside with minimal heating, and evaporative cooling. Brooms, brushes, hand scrapers, high pressure/hot water cleaners, soap, and disinfectants are used in cleaning operations. Nearby equipment includes pumps, tanks, metal sinks, forklifts, tractors, carts, paper cutters, small laminators, electric staplers, etc. Floors in the warehouse are concrete and the parking lot is asphalt.
The remaining 30% of the position is based in the office. Offices are maintained at prescribed State office temperature settings. While in the office setting, the incumbent will perform any administrative duties (work accomplishment reports, timesheets, etc). The incumbent will be in a normal office setting (desk/chair) with the typical office equipment (i.e. computer, fax machine, printer, telephone). Typical computer programs used: MS Office Suit (Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Outlook), MapInfo?, and Internet Explorer.
Incumbent may be required on short notice to work on emergency projects for the IPCB or and other program for the Plant Division. The work environments for these projects closely resemble the above paragraphs and may involve longer travel days.
Incumbent must maintain a valid California Driver’s License with a good driving record.
Incumbent must maintain a valid California Driver’s License with a good driving record.
Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
If you are dropping off or mailing in your application, please use the Examination/Employment Application, STD 678 Revised 10/2023 version
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
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