Agricultural Environmental Specialist 1-3

State of Louisiana•Monroe, LA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

This position performs duties for the Office of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences within the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry. It entails responsibility for professional agricultural inspection and enforcement work in a variety of technically specialized and professional regulatory programs, including but not limited to fertilizer, horticulture, liming, pesticides, quarantine, seed, industrial hemp, and structural pest control. General supervision for this position is received from the Agricultural Environmental Specialist Manager or Agricultural Environmental Specialist Supervisor. Grow your career with opportunities in leadership, professional development, and specialized advancement opportunities.

Requirements

Three years of experience in agriculture, chemistry, natural resource management, structural pest control, or inspection or enforcement for compliance with agricultural, environmental, or public health laws, rules or regulations; OR A bachelor’s degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental science, or engineering field.

Nice To Haves

Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.
Thinking Critically: The ability to analyze information objectively, identify connections across sources, and form logical, well-supported conclusions.
Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
Demonstrating Initiative: The ability to assess situations independently and take proactive steps to address them without being prompted or instructed by others.
Displaying Expertise: The ability to demonstrate specialized knowledge, skills, and experience to apply subject-matter expertise in diverse and evolving contexts.
Driving Results: The ability to set and pursue goals, maintain focus amid competing demands, and deliver results.
Managing Projects: The ability to plan, implement, and close out project initiatives by coordinating people, resources, and timelines to achieve defined outcomes.

Responsibilities

Evaluates and compiles data and other facts related to inspections within the above described functional areas into comprehensive technical reports using established regulatory criteria, policies, and procedures.
Ensure consumer products meet applicable quality standards through routine sampling in all of the functional areas such as disease/insect/weed free; quality seed germination; products meet amounts declared on labels; quality plant installation and maintenance; pesticide treatments that provide protection of human health, homes and crops; quality agricultural lime; assists in preventing introduction of noxious weeds, insects and diseases; etc.
Issues stop orders on applicable goods, products or activities not registered or substandard.
Conducts field inspections on various crops, bulk bin seed sampling, records inspection and seed processor facility inspections for seed certification, which requires knowledge of various crops and varieties thereof related to the Seed Certification Program.
Conducts inspections and/or investigations related to pesticide producers, distributors, dealers or aerial or ground pesticide applicators ensuring they are complying with licensing/certification, record keeping, and use laws, rules and regulations.
Inspects structures treated and pretreated by local pest companies to ensure termite treatment meets minimum standards set by pest control laws, which requires experience in the structural pest control program to understand the rules and regulations related to minimum standards and be able to discuss with pest control operators.
Collects routine official regulatory samples of seed, fertilizer and agricultural lime from manufacturers, dealers, and farmers, as well as investigative samples due to complaints or as follow up to a previous sample collection.
Uses various electronic devices that assist in inspection/investigation documentation and keeps current with available technology by participating in training provided or by independent study.
Incumbent is required to operate and maintain a state vehicle in performance of duties and may be required to make inspections of rice fields on horseback.
Statewide travel may be required.
Other duties as may be assigned.