State of Maryland

A Weed Control Specialist III is the full performance level of field liaison work in the Weed Control Program of the Maryland Department of Agriculture.  Employees in this classification are generally assigned to a particular area of the State to provide coordination and support in the implementation of the laws governing the control of nuisance weeds.  Employees in this classification provide educational, practical and regulatory assistance to county weed control programs, individual landowners and farmers.  Employees in this classification provide technical, logistical and administrative support services to county weed control programs; have frequent contact with Weed Control County Coordinators, Extension Agents and landowners to coordinate program implementation; and perform investigative and regulatory duties to prevent the influx and spread of nuisance weeds.  Employees in this classification perform work that is characterized by an increased level of technical knowledge, increased scope of responsibility and participation in a wider variety of program operational details.  Employees in this classification also make frequent independent recommendations concerning appropriate control procedures and local program operations and administration.  Employees in this classification do not supervised State positions but are responsible for supervising county employees assigned to the local weed control programs.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from the Supervisor of the Weed Control Program.  In addition, employees in this class provide guidance and instruction to local program officials, individual landowners and farmers.  Work effectiveness is evaluated through review of reports and direct observation of work performed.

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 Weed Control Specialist I, Weed Control Specialist II and Weed Control Specialist III are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Weed Control Specialist I performs duties under close supervision.  The Weed Control Specialist II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision.  The Weed Control Specialist III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Weed Control Specialist III is differentiated from the Weed Control Specialist IV in that the Weed Control Specialist IV has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Weed Control Specialists.

Assists local Weed Control Coordinators in the implementation of county weed control programs by providing technical, administrative and logistical support services;

Contacts landowners and farmers concerning nuisance weed control regulations and preventive measures;

Plans, develops, and conducts appropriate nuisance weed control programs;

Participates in training county coordinators and individual landowners in the handling and calibration of herbicide spraying equipment, rotational crop planting, and other weed control techniques;

Recommends appropriate regulatory action against landowners who are in violation of the provisions of the nuisance weed control laws;

Meets with Weed Control County Coordinators, local governmental officials and others to provide information, guidance and assistance concerning the weed control laws and programs;

Performs other related duties.

Ability to learn and apply technical and specialized terminology;

Ability to perform arithmetic calculations including volume percentages and ratios;

Ability to express ideas clearly;

Ability to propose logical solutions to problem situations;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

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

Experience: Three years of experience in farming or weed control, one year must have involved the use and application of herbicides.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a degree from an accredited college or university in any agricultural, life or physical science for up to two years of the required experience.

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

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 assigned to Bargaining Unit C- Regulatory, Inspection and Licensure classes.  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 all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.