Start your career with the Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures as an Agricultural Inspector I.

Starting salary up to $42.05/hour ($87,763/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Agriculture/Weights and Measures Department is currently recruiting to fill multiple Agricultural Inspector positions at either the I, II, or III levels. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for each level.

Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures

The Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures is a small but dedicated team committed to protecting Sonoma County's agriculture, environment, economy, and community. Through education, outreach, inspections, and enforcement, the department administers state and local laws that safeguard agricultural resources, promote public and environmental health, and ensure fairness in the marketplace.

Agriculture is one of Sonoma County's largest industries and a vital contributor to the local economy. The department works collaboratively with growers, businesses, government agencies, and the public to encourage compliance with agricultural laws while supporting a safe and thriving agricultural community.

About the Position

Agricultural Inspector Is, help protect Sonoma County's agricultural resources through inspections, investigations, education, and regulatory enforcement activities. Working under the guidance of experienced staff, they learn how to inspect agricultural commodities, production sites, businesses, and other regulated operations to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. They also interact with growers, businesses, government agencies, and members of the public while helping ensure compliance with agricultural laws and regulations. Additional responsibilities include:

Conducting field inspections of agricultural commodities, nurseries, production sites, pesticide use, farmers' markets, organic operations, and other regulated agricultural activities
Investigating complaints, documenting findings, and assisting with enforcement activities, including issuing notices of violation and preparing case documentation
Collecting field samples for laboratory analysis and maintaining accurate inspection records and reports
Responding to inquiries from growers, businesses, partner agencies, and members of the public regarding agricultural laws, regulations, and compliance requirements
Collaborating with County staff, state agencies, and industry representatives to support inspection and compliance programs
Utilizing Microsoft Office, GIS applications, and other technology to document inspections and maintain program records

The ideal candidates are passionate about protecting Sonoma County's agricultural resources and providing excellent public service. They will communicate effectively with diverse audiences, exercise sound judgment, and enjoy working in both field and office environments. They are adaptable, collaborative, and committed to learning and applying agricultural laws and regulations with professionalism, integrity, and fairness. The ideal candidates will possess many of the following:

Knowledge of agriculture, biology, plant science, entomology, or environmental science
The ability to learn and apply laws, regulations, policies, and technical information
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications and Geographic Information System mapping technology
The ability to build collaborative relationships with growers, businesses, government agencies, and members of the public
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities
The ability to work both independently and collaboratively while adapting to changing priorities and field conditions
Professionalism and integrity while performing regulatory responsibilities
Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills are desirable, but not required

Please Note: The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) oversees the licensing requirements for this classification. Candidates appointed to this position are required to obtain two CDFA licenses within 24 months of appointment.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Agriculture Inspector II ($39.14 -$47.59/hour)
Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This Agricultural Inspector I employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title for this position is Agriculture/Weights and Measures Inspector I.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Experience and Education: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college with major course work in one of the following areas of discipline: Agricultural, Biological, Chemical, or Physical Science; Commerce; Engineering; Law Enforcement; Marketing; Mathematics; Physics; or Statistics, or other degrees approved by the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

OR

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college with a minimum of 30 semester units (or equivalent) in one or any combination from the same areas of discipline.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level, including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

If assigned to weights and measures inspection, possession of a valid Class B California driver's license and Tank Vehicle Endorsement are required within one year of appointment to this class.

The positions advertised on these announcements require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge of: complex mathematics; principles of botany, entomology, plant pathology, physical science, chemistry, and related laboratory techniques; Federal, State, and local regulations, laws and procedures in the functional area of agricultural, weights and measures, and hazardous material and fire safety inspection and enforcement; the agricultural industry of Sonoma County; principles of sanitation when handling and testing food products; data processing equipment and systems; safety principles and equipment used for handling chemicals and responding to hazardous materials incidents; techniques of case management, record keeping, and report preparation; and rules of evidence, investigative techniques, and enforcement and court procedures.

Ability to: perform mathematical computations; read, understand, interpret, and enforce laws, codes, regulations; read, understand, and interpret technical material and lab analyses; collect and organize field information, write clear and concise reports and maintain records; draw accurate maps of field locations; learn to conduct a wide range of agricultural, hazardous material, fire safety, or weights and measures inspection and enforcement functions; gather information and data through interviewing individuals and conducting investigation; use and maintain department equipment; establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships; work with uncooperative and potentially hostile individuals; follow oral and written instructions; analyze situations accurately and recommend appropriate action; communicate tactfully and effectively with the public, co-workers, consumers, and industry representatives to provide information or obtain compliance with enforcement actions; safely handle hazardous materials such as herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, gasoline, and propane; maintain situational awareness while confidently approaching unknown environments with changing circumstances; use common office technology and software, databases and other software products used by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the County of Sonoma to carry out regulatory programs; and lift and carry 50 pound objects or containers for short distances; and operate a pickup truck with trailer.

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CA

HR Technician: VH

County of Sonoma (CA)

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