Agriculture Specialist 1-3 Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana/jobs/newprint/4840521) Apply  Agriculture Specialist 1-3 Salary $3,181.00 - $5,724.00 Monthly Location Baton Rouge, LA Job Type Classified Job Number AHFS-50561553-2.25.25-CH Department DAF-Agriculture and Forestry Opening Date 02/25/2025 Closing Date 3/2/2025 11:59 PM Central + Description + Benefits + Questions Supplemental Information Job# AHFS-50561553-2.25.25-CH The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is an Equal Opportunity Employer and State as a Model Employer (SAME) to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. *This position has a Special Entrance Rate at (SER) each level of the Career Progression Group* Agriculture Specialist 1 has an SER of $19.23 per hour. Agriculture Specialist 2 has an SER of $20.58 per hour. Agriculture Specialist 3 has an SER of $22.02 per hour. The position #50561553 is located in the Office of Animal Health and Food Safety, Federal & State Meat Division. This position may be filled by a Job Appointment (up to four years). This position is located in East Baton Rouge Parish. Selected Core Competencies: + Following Policies and Procedures: The ability to comply with policies and procedures of the organization as well as State Civil Service rules, and all applicable federal and state laws. + Learning Actively: The ability to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to improve performance and achieve organizational goals. + Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to form an opinion objectively and decisively based on relevant information and in accordance with established standards. As part of a Career Progression Group, vacancies may be filled from this recruitment as a Agriculture Specialist 1, 2 or 3 depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant(s). Please refer to the ‘Job Specifications’ tab located at the top of the LA Careers ‘Current Job Opportunities’ page of the Civil Service website for specific information on salary ranges, minimum qualifications and job concepts for each level. To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page. *Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.* This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization. All applicants selected for employment must submit to drug screening. If you are contacted for an interview, please let us know at that time if you have a need a special accommodation for a disability. For further information about this vacancy contact: Cody Hulbert HR Specialist Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry 5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1001 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Chulbert@ldaf.state.la.us The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry strictly prohibits workplace harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, national origin, military service, sickle cell trait, protected genetic information or other non-merit factor. LDAF also strictly prohibits employment decisions based upon or influenced by such factors. Minimum Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Three years of experience in inspecting or enforcing for compliance with agricultural laws, rules or regulations or inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devices; OR A bachelor’s degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental, health, or physical science, or an information technology, mathematics or business field. Job Concepts FUNCTION OF WORK: To examine, inspect and investigate products, facilities, services, commodities, and/or livestock to ensure compliance with and enforcement of laws and regulations concerning Meat Inspection, Poultry & Eggs, Fruits & Vegetables, Agricultural Commodities, Weights & Measures, animal feed manufacturing, and/or Livestock. LEVEL OF WORK: Entry. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Close from an Agriculture Specialist District Supervisor, Agriculture Specialist Program Manager, Agriculture Assistant Division Director, Ag Specialist Regional Enforcement Supervisor or higher level supervisor. May receive project supervision from Agriculture Specialists 2 and 3 during training periods. SUPERVISION EXERCISED: None. LOCATION OF WORK: Department of Agriculture and Forestry. JOB DISTINCTIONS: Differs from Agriculture Specialist 2 by performance of entry level rather than journeyman level tasks. Examples of Work This position is located within the Office of Animal Health and Food Safety. The Food Safety office is comprised of the Meat and Poultry(MPI), Poultry & Eggs(P&E), and the Food Quality Services(FQS) Programs. The FQS program has a cooperative agreement with the FDA Office of Partnerships to implement the FSMA Produce Safety Rule(PSR) depending on funding through this grant program. This job appointment receives supervision from the classified FSMA Produce Safety Program Manager and will perform Fruit and Vegetable regulatory inspections under the guidance of the Produce Safety Program as needed. The employee will also assist the Program Manger and perform regulatory inspections to ensure proper grades of eggs and egg products. 65% LDAF has been awarded this grant through the Federal Drug Administration for a total of $491,500/year to regulate compliance and enforcement of the Produce Safety Rule. This includes promoting and educating farmers and growers across the state. The employee inspects produce farms (fruit & vegetables) to ensure that all FDA regulations are followed in relation to the FSMA PSR. They will collect business data during produce farm visits to accurately account for inventory of all produce farms in the state that grow and sell to the public. Inspection reports will be issued and compliance letters as needed, keep files up to date as required and work with appropriate FDA supervision as required by the Federal/State cooperative agreement. Assist in training farmers and growers throughout the state. Completes training requirements necessary for continuing education and/or maintaining employment certifications. Will also assist the Program Manager with coordinating and participating in education and outreach activities related to the grant, including traveling, attending events, and training various stakeholders on topics related to the FSMA PSR. 20% Will perform regulatory inspections to ensure a proper grade of egg and egg products in their assigned work area as required by the Louisiana Egg Marketing Act. Incumbent will ensure that egg and egg products have the proper grade assigned by checking retail stores, distribution warehouses, or any other facility that handles egg and egg products. Will take appropriate enforcement action to ensure regulatory non-compliance is corrected. Receives and responds to complaints from public and regulated industries. 15% Coordinate and participate in promotional activities, trade shows, conferences, etc. Responsible for ordering and organizing supplies and promotional items needed for marketing. Assists in maintaining budget, submitting print request, and maintains an inventory of property. Functional Requirements + Reaching above shoulders + Light to moderate lifting, 20 pounds with the occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds. + Occasional bending or kneeling + Sit over a long period of time at workstation or in a vehicle for travel. Environmental Factors + Working indoors and outdoors + Occasional excessive heat and humidity + Slippery and uneven walking surfaces + Occasionally working in moderately cold temperatures for short periods of time + Working in cold temperatures for short periods of time Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity tomake a differencethrough public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career. As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program: Insurance Coverage More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/ Parental Leave– Up to six weeks paid parental leave More information can be found athttps://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year: + New Year's Day + Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, + Mardi Gras, + Good Friday, + Memorial Day, + Independence Day, + Labor Day, + Veteran's Day, + Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. ***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase. Retirement – State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to): + Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video (https://lasersonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Your\_Retirement\_System.mp4) to give you more detailed information about their system + Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org), + Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others 01 To ensure compliance with the LDAF Nepotism Policy, do you have any immediate family members or relatives who are currently employed with the LDAF? Immediate family member is defined as children (blood, step, adopted), spouse, brother, sister, father, mother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law and father-in-law. Relative includes immediate family members previously defined and also includes grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, uncle, aunt niece and nephew. + Yes + No 02 If you answered "yes" to the above question, please list the name of your immediate family member and/or relatives currently employed by the LDAF. If you answered "no" to the above question, enter N/A. 03 Are you currently a classified employee of Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry serving with permanent status? + Yes + No 04 Do you have a valid Louisiana driver's license? + Yes + No 05 The incumbent of this position may drive a state-owned vehicle during working hours. Office of Risk Management prohibits drivers with three or more moving violations in a one-year period from operating a state-owned vehicle. Based on this information, will you be able to operate a state-owned vehicle? + Yes + No 06 Rate your ability to adapt to change based on our definition: The ability to adjust plans, expectations, and behaviors in response to change. + I have no experience and/or am uncomfortable adapting to change + I have limited experience or require assistance to adapt to change + I can adapt to change + I can adapt to change and help others improve their ability to adapt to change 07 Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below. 08 Rate your ability to make accurate judgments based on our definition: The ability to form an opinion objectively and decisively based on relevant information and in accordance with established standards. + I have no experience and/or am uncomfortable making accurate judgments + I have limited experience or require assistance to make accurate judgments + I can make accurate judgments + I can make accurate judgments and help others improve their ability to make accurate judgments 09 Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below. 10 Rate your ability to communicate effectively based on our definition: The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas. + I have no experience and/or am uncomfortable communicating effectively + I have limited experience or require assistance to communicate effectively + I can communicate effectively + I can communicate effectively and help others improve their communication 11 Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below. 12 Rate your ability to learn actively based on our definition: The ability to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to improve performance and achieve organizational goals. + I have no experience and/or am uncomfortable learning actively + I have limited experience or require assistance to learn actively + I can learn actively + I can learn actively and help others improve their ability to learn actively 13 Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below. Required Question Employer State of Louisiana Address For agency contact information, please refer to the supplemental information above. Louisiana State Civil Service, Louisiana, 70802 Phone (866) 783-5462 Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/louisiana/default.cfm Apply Please verify your email addressVerify Email