AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER PROT SPEC - OPS - 42903086

State of Florida • Freeport, FL

9d • $23 - $26 • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a full-time Other Personal Services (OPS) position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry. The headquarters for this position is negotiable within Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Walton and Washington Counties. This position has regulatory responsibilities and is subject to specific Florida Administrative Code and Statutes. The incumbent must be willing to respond to emergency duty, day or night, including natural disasters or animal disease outbreaks, and may be deployed from their assigned headquarters for extended periods (up to 30 days). The role requires passing a pulmonary function test, regular respirator fit-testing, and wearing a respirator when required, as well as wearing appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE). The incumbent must also be willing to work weekends and holidays as required, travel occasionally, and reside in the required county(ies) throughout employment. Some alternate work hours are also required.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.
• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.
• Incumbent must pass a pulmonary function test with medical evaluation, must undergo and pass regular respirator fit-testing, and must wear a respirator when required.
• Incumbent must wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) when required.
• Must reside in required county(ies) throughout employment in this position.
• Computer skills
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to deal with the public in a tactful and courteous manner
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions; ability to frequently bend, kneel, climb, stand and walk several hours each day
• Ability to work on uneven terrain
• Ability to conduct inspections in natural and cultivated areas with uneven ground
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the care, management and husbandry of livestock including equine or poultry.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a dedicated member of the Division’s emergency response team to conduct animal and agricultural emergency response initiatives.
• Responds to an emergency mobilization within 12 hours for deployment to staff the division’s incident management team.
• Conducts program activities related to emergency preparedness, response and recovery which may include, coordinated activities with ESF-17 officials through the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).
• Completes Incident Command System (ICS) training to prescribed levels (at a minimum ICS100, 200, 300, 400, 700 and 800).
• Attends and participates in division emergency exercises or training events.
• Will take an active position within the incident management team.
• Provides presentations for the local meetings, fairs, or other local venues as requested.
• Maintains a working knowledge of all division-related emergency plans.
• Maintains all assigned inventory and emergency equipment records.
• Assists district ESF-17 Specialists to ensures foreign animal disease response supplies are stocked at adequate levels.
• Responsible for conducting extensive outreach and education to producers within assigned district.
• Responsible for inspection of animals on high risk premises and establishing quarantines of affected animal disease premises.
• Establishes and maintains proper biosecurity protocols during the animal disease response.
• Utilizes superior communication skills to keep all in the supervisory chain of command informed of the progression of assigned activities.
• Maintains working knowledge of Florida’s reportable animal diseases, policies and procedures, division’s administrative rules and designated Florida statutes.
• Works in coordination with bureau personnel to conduct animal disease program activities related to the inspection, control and testing of livestock, poultry and other animals to detect animal diseases and ectoparasites that may pose a threat to the state agricultural economy or impact public health.
• Performs general animal health inspections, premises inspections, investigating complaints related to animal disease in livestock and poultry, documenting findings and actions taken on appropriate forms, collecting samples, promoting animal official identification, issuing and releasing quarantines, educating animal owners about biosecurity, assisting veterinary medical officers (VMO) with inspections and testing, collecting and packaging samples, formulation of test charts, and sample submission to an approved laboratory.
• Ensures quality and marketability of Florida’s livestock, inspects herd health plans and investigates animal disease complaints.
• Works independently and proceeds on own initiative and judgement within guidelines established by the supervisor.
• Properly uses livestock equipment and performs routine maintenance.
• Performs all duties associated with inspection of livestock for sale at livestock markets including inspection of permits, Official Certificate of Veterinarian Inspections, other movement documents and verifies animal identification device.
• Enforces department’s rules and regulations regarding animal disease and animal movement.
• Ensures compliance with department’s rules and regulations.
• Prepares and submits required forms in written electronic format for daily activity.
• Maintains proper care of department’s vehicle and personally assigned equipment.
• Provides on-the-job training for new personnel.
• Serves as back-up for the district’s ESF-17 and animal disease ACP Specialists.
• Participates in workshops and training to learn livestock and poultry disease eradication programs.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements)
• Participation in the Florida Deferred Compensation Plan (457b)
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED