Placer County

To plan, organize, direct and supervise agricultural and standards inspections; enforce laws and regulations 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; to protect the environment and public; perform a variety of technical tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

The Supervisor level recognizes positions that perform full, second-line supervisory responsibilities, including planning, training, assigning and evaluating the work of subordinates; and are responsible for a program area within a work unit or department.

Receives general direction from management staff.

Exercises direct supervision over assigned lower level inspection staff.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct complex agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures inspections and perform all related activities.
• Recommend and assist in the implementation of goals and objectives; establish schedules and methods for inspections; implement policy and procedures.
• Plan, prioritize, assign, train, supervise and review the work of staff involved in agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures inspections.
• Participate in the selection of staff; provide or coordinate staff training; work with employees to correct deficiencies; implement discipline procedures.
• Evaluate operations, inspections and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommend improvements and modifications; prepare various reports on operations, inspections and activities.
• Participate in budget preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates for budget recommendations; submit justifications for budget recommendation; monitor and control expenditures.
• Answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary.
• Prepare administrative civil penalty documents for violations of agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures laws and regulations; apply investigative techniques, collect and document evidence; and represent the department in civil penalty hearings.
• 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.

Experience and Training

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Three years of responsible advanced journey level agricultural and weights and measures inspection experience performing duties similar to Agricultural and Standards Inspector - Senior with Placer County, including one year in a lead or supervisory capacity.

Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in agricultural, biological, chemical or physical sciences; OR.

Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in any discipline with a minimum of 30 semester units, in one or any combination of the following disciplines:  agricultural, biological, chemical, or physical sciences.

Knowledge of:

• Basic principles of chemistry, physics, biology and botany.
• Principles and practices of agricultural, pesticide use and weights and measures inspection.
• Rules for proper evidence gathering and sampling procedures.
• Agricultural laws, regulations and policies governing general inspection for agricultural pests.
• Detection and eradication techniques of plant diseases and pests relating to agricultural commodities.
• State laws and regulations of weights and measures.
• State laws and regulations of pesticide use enforcement.
• Applicable mapping and GIS Systems.
• Principles of technical report writing.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Principles of budget preparation and monitoring.
• Principles and practices of safety management.
• Policies and procedures of the Agriculture Department.
• Modern office procedures, mobile devices, methods and computer equipment.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Arithmetic, basic statistics and mathematical calculations.

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; and enforce regulations; review, interpret and explain 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.
• Organize, implement and direct agricultural and weights and measures inspections and operations/activities.
• Supervise, train, assign, review and evaluate work of subordinate personnel.
• Understand, interpret, explain and apply pertinent laws, regulations and County and Department policies and procedures.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of an assigned program budget.
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned operations.
• Drive a large weight truck and operate a mechanical hoist that lifts 1000 pound standards for testing large capacity scales.
• Mount, pull and maneuver a trailer.
• Identify and understand the operation of technical equipment used for pest eradication and/or control; understand the effect of various weather conditions and patterns on pesticide applications.
• Compile, analyze and evaluate difficult and complex technical and statistical information.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Obtain information through interview; work fairly and courteously with the public; and work effectively with interruption.
• Act quickly and calmly in emergency situations.
• 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.
• Attend public meetings before various community groups and citizens regarding agricultural, pesticide and weights and measures issues.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Length of Probation:

All permanent appointments from open eligible lists to positions in the classified services shall serve a probationary period of twelve (12) calendar months or two thousand eighty (2,080) hours, whichever is more.

Bargaining Unit:

Professional