Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector I/II/III

Ventura County • Ventura, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector, under direct (I) to limited (III) supervision depending upon the level of the class, provides professional inspection, investigation and enforcement services to the agricultural industry and community by executing local, state and federal laws and regulations. Mandated programs in both agricultural and weights & measures disciplines govern the work of the Department. This is a flexibly staffed class series, with placement dependent upon the licenses earned, experience, and proficiency to perform the full range of duties within specific areas of state licensure. The role of these classifications is to enforce the laws and regulations set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) as well as local county ordinances. California state law requires all County employees working in the capacity of inspector to possess licenses demonstrating job proficiency. The Department shall require the specific California state licenses and federal certifications necessary to certify and enforce all laws and regulations tied to each license. It shall also require the appropriate licensing examinations for every incumbent, ensuring they can advance to the journey-level classification. At each successive level in this series, incumbents are required to acquire and maintain specific licenses, exercise greater independent judgement, and handle assignments requiring specialized knowledge with less supervision.

Requirements

• Possession of two (2) or more valid statewide specific category licenses as a County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture; OR, Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more appropriate disciplines in agricultural, biological, chemical, or physical sciences, mathematics, or statistics; OR, Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college in any discipline with a minimum of 30 semester units, or 45 quarter units, in one or any combination of the following disciplines: Agricultural Science, Biological Science, Chemical Science, Physical Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Commerce, Economics, Engineering, Law Enforcement, Marketing, Physics, and/or related field meeting the prerequisite for the licensing exams from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
• Possession of combined total of five (5) valid statewide specific category licenses as a County Agricultural Weights & Measures Inspector issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture; AND, Two (2) years' of increasingly responsible experience as an Agriculture Biologist I, Weights & Measures Inspector I, or Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector I; OR, Two (2) years' experience performing duties equivalent to that of an Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector I with the County of Ventura.
• Possession of eight (8) valid statewide specific category licenses as a County Agricultural Weights & Measures Inspector issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture; AND, Two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience as an Agricultural Biologist II, Weights & Measures Inspector II, or Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector II; OR, Two (2) years' experience performing duties equivalent to that of an Agricultural/Weights & Measures Inspector II with the County of Ventura.
• Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License is required at the time of appointment. Driver's license must be kept valid throughout the term of employment.
• Incumbents must be able to travel throughout the county.
• Knowledge of laws, codes, orders, regulations and practices governing agriculture and weights & measures programs and pesticide management; Principles of identification, preservation and presentation of evidence; Techniques of case management, record keeping and report preparation; Safety principles and equipment used for handling chemicals and responding to hazardous materials incidents; Basic use of current business applications and mobile communication devices; Correct English usage.
• Ability to interpret, apply, explain and enforce various state and federal agricultural and weights & measures laws, codes and regulations; Apply interviewing techniques to obtain needed information; Gather, assemble and analyze data and make sound recommendations regarding mitigation or enforcement matters; Prepare and maintain accurate, concise and effective records, reports, correspondence and other written materials; and using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; Make accurate mathematic calculations; Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work; Safely handle hazardous materials such as herbicides, rodenticides, insecticides and other pesticides, as well as gasoline, diesel, and propane; Maintain situational awareness while confidently approaching unknown environments with changing circumstances.

Nice To Haves

• A California Class B Commercial Driver's License is desired.

Responsibilities

• Investigates fraud and consumer complaints through interviews, investigations, and records examination.
• Develops case files; prepares, analyzes, maintains and presents evidence; prepares correspondence and reports; and provides information for litigation.
• Verifies the accuracy of commercial devices such as gas pumps, taxi meters, propane meters, electric meters and commercial weighing devices.
• Enforces regulations related to pesticide use and storage, and worker health and safety; issues permits and monitors applications of pesticides; and registers agricultural pest control operators and advisors.
• Investigates complaints related to agricultural pesticides, certain pests, and violations of County, State, or Federal laws; and conducts a variety of inspections of agricultural products to ensure compliance with regulations, and/or to verify certificate requirements for export/import and pest cleanliness.
• Detects and prevents the introduction of detrimental pests through examination, surveys, trapping, sampling, and regulation of possible carriers; and controls and/or eradicates pest plants, insects, diseases, and nematodes in accordance with approved procedures.
• Inspects nurseries and evaluates nursery license applications to determine compliance with State requirements.
• Gathers and compiles evidence and prepares reports; collects, prepares, and submits official samples required for the enforcement or verification of various regulations; and obtains, compiles, and disseminates statistical data on agricultural commodities produced in the County.
• Operates sensitive field and lab equipment necessary for identification, sampling, and determining compliance with set standards.
• Safely handles hazardous materials such as herbicides, rodenticides, insecticides and other pesticides, as well as gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and propane.
• Participates in education and outreach activities to the general public and the agricultural community regarding agricultural/weights & measures standards 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.
• Promotes legal compliance by conducting educational outreach to new businesses.
• Investigates and works with district attorneys to prosecute businesses engaged in violations of laws and regulations both locally and statewide.
• Performs other duties as required.
• Leads and participates in inspection activities within area of assignment.
• Provides training and technical assistance to staff.

Benefits

• Educational incentive of 5% based on completion of a Master's degree that is not required for the classification.
• Bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.
• Eligible for overtime compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level