Agricultural & Standards Inspector - II

Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

Placer County is currently accepting applications for Agricultural and Standards Inspector I/II/Senior.  Each level in this job series has different minimum qualifications. 

To be eligible for more than one level in the series, you must complete and submit separate applications and supplemental questionnaires for each recruitment: 

Agricultural and Standards Inspector - I               #2023-14501-01

Agricultural and Standards Inspector - II              #2023-14502-01

Agricultural and Standards Inspector - Senior     #2023-14504-01

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, westward through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

The Placer County Agriculture Department has the immediate need to fill one (1) Agriculture and Standards Inspector vacancy. Appointment to this position may be made at a level commensurate to the qualifications of the successful candidate.

Agricultural and Standards Inspectors perform inspections of agricultural crops; products; measuring devices; and pesticide use to determine compliance with and enforce applicable Federal, State, and County laws and regulations.

The Department desires candidates who can work both independently and in a team environment, as well as those who are customer service oriented, can interact with the public, and strictly follow policies and procedures while enforcing State laws, regulations, and County ordinances. Incumbents must be willing to work outdoors and be exposed to all types of weather conditions.

These classifications are scheduled to receive a general wage increase of 4% in July 2024.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees, including:

• Holidays: 14 paid holidays per year, 2 of which are floating holidays*
• Vacation leave: 10 days/year with ability to accrue 25 days/year
• Sick leave: 12 days/year*
• Cafeteria plan: 6% of employee’s salary will be contributed towards employee to use towards 401(k), dependent care, medical co-insurance, or cash
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available for employees and dependents
• $50,000 life insurance policy at no cost to employee
• CalPERS retirement plans
• Retiree medical insurance
• Deferred compensation
• Education allowance: up to $1,200 per year
• Bilingual incentive: incumbents may be eligible for bilingual incentive pay depending upon operational needs and certification of proficiency.

*Amounts will be prorated for part-time employees and employees hired after the first of the year.

The information above represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire about the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department. For a detailed listing of benefits, please click here to view Professional benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To interpret and enforce laws and regulations of the State of California and the County pertaining to agriculture, pesticides and weights and measures, to ensure fair competition among regulated industries, including a wide variety of retail businesses, pest control companies and agricultural producers; to govern the safe and effective use of pesticides across multiple industry sectors; and to protect the environment and the public.

This is the full journey level class within the Agricultural and Standards Inspector series.  This class is distinguished from the Agricultural and Standards Inspector I by the assignment of the full range of duties assigned.  Employees at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies within the work unit.  Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the entry level.

Receives general supervision from assigned supervisory or management staff and may receive technical and functional supervision from other technical personnel.

• Enforce State and County pesticide laws and regulations through the issuance of permits, including restricted materials permits, on-site inspection and investigation; monitor application and use of appropriate pesticides.
• Investigate pesticide illnesses and property loss and environmental effects related to pesticide use.
• Conduct quarantine inspections of plant material for detection of potentially harmful diseases and pests.
• Perform detection surveys of areas of known insect, weed and disease infestations; identify, document and delineate new infestations; identify target pests and place and service insect traps; apply pesticides.
• Conduct nursery inspections for detection of pests; take appropriate action to eradicate harmful pests; issue certificates of compliance, and notices of non-compliance.
• Conduct fruit, vegetable, honey and egg quality control; perform apiary and swarm inspections.
• Conduct quality control audits of packaged commodities and price verification at commercial outlets.
• Conduct inspections of commercial weighing and measuring devices (including scales and a wide variety of retail meters including motor fuel and electric vehicle charging stations, liquefied petroleum gas and other similar meters and systems) for accuracy and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and established tolerances; issue County seal, as required; respond to and investigate complaints.
• Conducts inspections of advertising, labeling, and minimum performance standards for petroleum and automotive products (including gasoline, diesel, and motor oil).
• Issue notices for violations of agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures laws and regulations.
• Prepare initial drafts of administrative civil penalty documents for violations of agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures laws and regulations for supervisory and management review; apply investigative techniques, collect and document evidence; and represent the department in civil penalty hearings.
• Represent the department to outside groups and organizations; provide technical assistance as necessary.
• Prepare technical and administrative reports, statistics and studies; prepare written correspondence as necessary.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees, the public and regulated industries using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of agricultural, pesticide, and weights and measures inspection.
• General entomology and botany principles.
• Modern office procedures, mobile devices, methods and computer equipment.
• Principles and practices of work safety.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Arithmetic, basic statistics and mathematical calculations.
• Agricultural laws, rules and regulations governing general inspection for agricultural pests.
• Detection and eradication techniques of diseases and pests relating to agricultural commodities.
• State laws and regulations of weights and measures.
• State laws and regulations of pesticide use enforcement.
• Policies and procedures of the Agricultural Department.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, analyze situations and develop solutions to situations involving pest identification and eradication and determination of accuracy of weighing and measuring devices; identify, interpret, explain and enforce violations; review, interpret, explain and enforce laws and  regulations; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; and observe safety precautions, especially in the field.
• Intermittently, sit at a desk while compiling data and writing reports; walk, stand, climb and bend in the field; perform simple and power grasping, pushing, pulling and fine manipulation; write or use a keyboard to communicate; and lift very heavy weight.
• Utilize inspection and exam procedure manuals.
• Drive a large weight truck and operate a mechanical hoist that lifts 1000 pound standards for testing large capacity scales. 
• Pull and maneuver a trailer.
• Recognize pests and problem solve to take appropriate actions.
• Compile, analyze and evaluate technical and statistical information.
• Act quickly and calmly in emergency situations.
• Obtain information through interview; work fairly and courteously with the public; and work effectively with interruption.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine proper course of action.
• Use a computer, mobile devices and modern office equipment.
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Identify and understand the operation of the full range of technical equipment used for pest detection, eradication and/or control.
•  Independently inspect and certify the accuracy of scales and other commercial weighing and measuring devices.
• Interpret, explain and enforce the full range of agricultural, pesticide, and weights and measures laws and regulations. 

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

Specific position(s) within this classification designated as Safety Sensitive may require applicants to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse and to provide consent for Placer County to conduct a full query of their records within the Clearinghouse prior to an offer of employment.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification. For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Preciosa Ayala-Burkhardt, Administrative Technician, at payala@placer.ca.gov or (530) 886-4637.