AGRICULTURAL INSPECTOR I

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 and 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 continues to expand and grow.

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This position is based in Anne Arundel county and is responsible for the Southern Region of MD, including the following counties: Anne Arundel, Charles, Calvert, Prince Georges and St. Mary's.

This is an entry level position in the Forest Pest Management (FPM) program, which is responsible for enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of the Southern region and other sections of Maryland by protecting the forest resources from the adverse effects of insects and diseases through environmentally and economically sound pest management.

• Learns and performs spongy moth egg mass surveys to determine population density following FPM and regional survey protocols. Learns to maintain and update records in regional spongy moth database to accurately reflect site locations, survey area boundaries, and population densities.
• Learns to assist with all aspects of the Spongy Moth Suppression program. This includes but is not limited to gathering pretreatment block information such as flight hazards and human use statistics, preparing suppression notebooks, assisting with calibrations, learning and performing block monitor duties during suppression, and completing post suppression efficacy evaluations. 
• Learns to work as part of team on suppression activities for hemlock woolly adelgid, including learning to mix and apply pesticides, tree selection, and keeping daily records. 
• Learns to evaluate the level and extent of hemlock woolly adelgid populations in priority status following FPM protocol. 
• Learns to conduct sampling surveys. Learns to inspect/establish survey/sampling locations in various forest habitats as required for forest health monitoring projects (insects/plants/diseases) following project protocols. This currently includes trapping and survey projects for Southern Pine Beetle, Sirex noctillio, Walnut Twig Beetle, exotic Asian defoliators, Beech Leaf Disease, and Emerald Ash Borer. 
• Learns to answer questions about spongy moth, the MDA spongy moth program and other forest insects and diseases to help the public understand pest life cycle and control methods utilizing MDA, Extension, and US Forest Service publications as well as firsthand information.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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

Experience: One year of experience in one of the following: production, processing, marketing, grading or inspection of agricultural products or chemicals; assisting veterinarians in the care and management of animals; animal disease control; care or management of livestock or inspecting veterinary hospitals, riding stables or livestock dealers; installation, inspection, repair, or testing of weighting, volumetric measuring or counting devices; inspecting labeling and packaging; pesticide sales, use, regulation, or application; production, maintenance or inspection of a tree plantation or nursery stock; pest or weed control; wildlife population censuring; or the production, sales, inspection or testing of seed or turf products.

Notes:

1. Applicants may substitute fifteen credit hours in agriculture; animal, biological, environmental, food or physical sciences; chemistry; mathematics; engineering, or law enforcement at an accredited college or university for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience non-commissioned officer in quality assurance, inspection and grading classification or quality assurance, inspection and grading specialty codes in the agricultural commodity grading field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

This recruitment is limited to employees who currently work for the MD Department of Agriculture, including contractual employees. 

Applicants who meet the minimum (and selective) qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training, and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.  Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the eligible (employment) list for at least one year.  The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.

Please report all related education, experience, dates, and hours of work. Clearly indicate your college degree and major on your application, if applicable. For education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview). 

Complete applications must be submitted by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be added.  Incorrect application forms will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. 

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position. It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all experience and education that is related to this position.

This position belongs to Bargaining Unit C. 

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

 

The online application process is STRONGLY preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may mail a paper application to: Maryland Department of Agriculture, Human Resource Office, Room 304, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD  21401. All paper applications must be received by 4:30 PM on the closing date, no exceptions.  (Postmarks not accepted.) Resumes will NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the online or paper application.