Agricultural Inspector

This position is located at the Redwood Highway Border Protection Station.

Under the supervision of the Station Manager or Shift Supervisor, or the direction of the designated lead staff, the Agricultural Technician I performs regulatory inspections on vehicles and commodities to prevent the introduction of unwanted pests into California.

• Enter the interior of vehicles, including trailers, trunks, and passenger compartments of commercial trucks, automobiles, and recreational vehicles, and watercrafts to inspect for and remove any hitchhiking pests.
• Read and interpret shipping manifests and quarantine certificates to determine the contents and admissibility of commercial shipments.
• Use printed and electronic reference materials to determine the admissibility of private shipments of plant material.
• Complete on-the-job training, including manuals, computer programs, and videos, to learn and keep abreast of changes in regulations and vehicle inspection procedures.
• Sample and inspect rejected or regulated commodities for pest infestation by collecting and carrying samples and using knives, fruit crushers, hand lenses, and microscopes to examine commodities.
• Compare collected specimens with samples or printed or electronic reference materials to make a preliminary identification of common pests.
• Preserve and ship suspect pest specimens using prescribed methods to a laboratory for identification.
• Dispose of rejected commodities by grinding, burning, or placement in a dumpster.

The majority of the job duties are performed outdoors, in the private vehicle and truck inspection areas, approximately 90% of the time. When working outdoors, the employee may be exposed to high-low temperature changes and variable climatic conditions such as rain, fog, dust, fumes, gases, and odors. The noise level in the work environment is moderate. Employees are routinely assigned to work weekends and holidays, and rotating shifts, including day, evening, and night.

Priority consideration will be given to applicants receiving state public assistance under the CalWORKs or Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) programs. Applicants who receive state public assistance need to identify their status as a CalWORKs or TANF recipient in the "Comments" section of the application. Applicants must submit verification of CalWORKs or TANF eligibility.