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OFFICE SECRETARY II

MDA State Chemist - Internal Only

Recruitment #25-001328-0006

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Introduction

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services to include marketing and lab services, plant and pest management and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continue to expand and grow.  


The State Chemist Section, in operation since 1833, regulates pesticides, animal feeds, pet foods, fertilizers, compost, soil conditioners, and agricultural liming materials to promote agricultural production, protect consumers and the environment, and ensure product effectiveness. It enforces regulations through product registration, lab analyses, inspections, and enforcement actions. The Section also certifies Compost Facility Operators and supports MDA’s Pesticide Regulation Section with chemical analyses for environmental investigations. It collaborates with federal agencies (FDA, EPA, USDA, ATF) to inspect, sample, and analyze products, ensuring safe animal feed, monitoring pesticide levels in produce, preventing pathogen spread, and educating distributors on identifying potential misuse of explosive materials like ammonium nitrate.

GRADE

ASTD9

LOCATION OF POSITION

50 Harry S Truman Pkwy, Annapolis MD 21401

Main Purpose of Job

The main purpose of this position is to screen incoming registration and renewal applications for accuracy including, but not limited to fee reconciliation, accuracy of registrant and company information, proper application usage, etc., troubleshoots SalesForce to correct inaccuracies, creates and issues stop sale notices to manufacturers, retailers, and warehouses from field stop sales, and manages the laboratory sample database. The position also supervises a lower level Office Clerk II.

POSITION DUTIES

Duties include but are not limited to:
  • Screens received product registrations & renewal information for accuracy. 
  • Reconciles received fees & records new product information and records renewal information. 
  • Troubleshoots problems within Salesforce database and corrects company, registrant and product inaccuracies. 
  • Creates and issues Stop Sale Notices to the companies selling or distributing unregistered products, based upon field reports submitted by section inspectors. Reviews information on submitted field reports and checks Salesforce database to determine possible prior registration history. 
  • Records Stop Sale information on a spreadsheet using specific identification numbers developed for cataloging purposes. 
  • Manages the laboratory and inspectional database. Records relevant information for sample tracking. 
  • Responsible for managing laboratory results submitted by the Section’s chemists & generating required reports.
  • General Office Duties: Answers main telephone line. Directs calls to the appropriate person and answers general questions. Responds to phone calls and e-mails in a positive and professional manner. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Two years performing secretarial or clerical work involving typing duties.


Notes:

1. Additional secretarial or clerical experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Thirty credit hours with a major in secretarial science or office technology from an accredited college may be substituted at the rate of thirty credits for one year of experience for up to two years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Administration classifications or Administrative, Clerical, or Office Services specialty codes in the Administrative Support field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Salesforce Experience 
  • Oracle Database Experience
  • Stop Sale Experience

LIMITATIONS ON SELECTION

Current Regular, Contractual or Temporary Maryland Department of Agriculture Employees Only

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Demonstrated ability to accurately type on a keyboard of a personal computer at a minimum of forty words per minute may be required, depending on the specific requirements of the position.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment. All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates may be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the employment (eligible) list for at least one year.

For education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service must be provided prior to hire.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Your application is part of the examination process. The examination will consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of this position. The rating will be based on the information provided on your application. Therefore, it is important you detail all experience and education related to this position completely and accurately.

BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

The online application is strongly preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may submit a paper application and supplemental questionnaire to: Maryland Department of Agriculture Human Resource Office, Room 304, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. The Human Resources unit is not responsible for applications sent to any other address.

Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the application. If you are submitting additional information, such as diplomas or transcripts, the preferred method is to upload them online with your application. If you are unable to upload, you may mail, hand-deliver or fax (HR Fax # 443-602-9831). All paper applications must be received by the closing date, no exceptions. (Postmarks not accepted.)

If you are having difficulty with your user account, need to make adjustments to a submitted application or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management at Application.Help@maryland.gov ; ATTN: Recruitment and Examination Division

Inquiries regarding this recruitment can be directed to Courtney Blackistone at courtney.blackistone1@maryland.gov.

TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay

Candidates with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country, and encourage them to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity. 



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