State of Maryland

An Entomologist Supervisor, Plant Protection is the supervisory level of professional specialized work in the field of applied entomology.  Employees in this class are responsible for providing technical guidance and administrative direction to entomological programs in the plant protection specialty area.  The work of this classification involves the supervision, coordination and conduct of surveys, studies, inspections or regulatory activities regarding insect infestation and control of insect populations.  Employees in this classification plan, prepare and recommend appropriate control measures and participate in the implementation and evaluation of control programs, based on evaluation of the results of such studies.  Employees in this classification coordinate with specialists in other program specialties, federal agricultural officials and local government officials.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Entomologists and technical specialists.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from the Assistant Secretary of Plant Industries and Pest Management or other designated administrator. Employees usually are assigned primary responsibility for projects in a specific geographical area of the State and are, at the same time, responsible for overall coordination and technical guidance of Statewide programs in the plant protection specialty area.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Entomologist Supervisor is differentiated from the Entomologist Advanced in that the Entomologist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Entomologists while the Entomologist Advanced performs independent entomological projects in specialty areas of work.

Provides technical guidance and administrative direction to lower-level Entomologists and technical specialists in the State plant protection programs;

Supervises and coordinates the monitoring of insect pest population in large areas of the State;

Supervises surveys of commercial plant materials to determine population trends of insect pests and diseases;

Makes control recommendations for ornamental or forest insect pest for commercial growers in the State;

Implements and coordinates plant quarantines;

Trains field inspectors in the recognition, evaluation and control of insects and insect-related diseases;

Provides liaison and coordination of Departmental programs with the USDA;

Trains professional and technical employees involved in individual program activities;

May conduct or supervise the conduct of research to obtain information required by the Department to make decisions on individual program direction and improvement;

May prepare technical reports and papers for presentation to professional groups;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the various types of insects affecting ornamental plants and fruit trees;

Knowledge of plant quarantine methods and procedures;

Knowledge of plant pathology; of insect taxonomy;

Knowledge of the principles of economic entomology, agronomy and horticulture;

Ability to communicate effectively;

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others;

Ability to effectively apply entomological principles to the solution of practical problems;

Ability to supervise and coordinate the work of others.

Education:  A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Course work must have included a minimum of 21 credit hours selected from the subject areas of botany, entomology, horticulture, or plant pathology, at least 15 credit hours of which must have been in the subject area of entomology.

Experience: Five years of experience in applied economic entomology directly related to plant protection.

Notes:

1. Applicants may substitute graduate education in entomology, with specialized work in a field appropriate to plant protection for up to two years of experience at the rate of one year of graduate education to one year of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in entomology classifications or entomology specialty codes in the entomology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of S (supervisor), M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board or Commission member), W (student), X (Used by agency or excluded by executive order), or Z (confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.