Job Information
Louisiana Department of State Civil Service Agriculture Specialist 1-3 in Ruston, Louisiana
Agriculture Specialist 1-3
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Agriculture Specialist 1-3
Salary
$3,333.20 - $5,723.47 Monthly
Location
Ruston, LA
Job Type
Classified
Job Number
AHFS-50683337-01.02.25-CH
Department
DAF-Agriculture and Forestry
Opening Date
01/02/2025
Closing Date
1/16/2025 11:59 PM Central
Description
Benefits
Questions
Supplemental Information
Job# AHFS-50683337-01.02.25-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 1has an SER of $19.23 per hour.
Agriculture Specialist 2has an SER of $20.58 per hour.
Agriculture Specialist 3has an SER of $22.02 per hour.
This position is a temporary job appointment that may last up to 4 years.
The position #50683337 is located in the Office of Animal Health and Food Safety, Poultry & Eggs Division.
This position is located in Lincoln 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 performs inspection services for the Office of Animal Health & Food Safety, Poultry & Eggs Programs within the Department of Agriculture & Forestry. The Poultry & Egg Programs are responsible for voluntary grading service on poultry, eggs and egg products, resident grading at USDA approved poultry and egg plants, fee grading for poultry and eggs performed by federally licensed state graders; state grading and certification of poultry and eggs for state institutions and parish schools, inspecting retail outlets while enforcing the Louisiana Egg Marketing Act. In addition, the employee will perform Fruit & Vegetable inspections for state institutions as needed. Supervision for this position is received from an Agriculture Specialist Program Manager and the employee may be asked to assist with lead worker responsibilities over lower-level Agriculture Specialists positions.
60%
Performs 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. Obtains and maintains a USDA license and performs grading of eggs, poultry and poultry products. Ensures 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. Takes the lead role in field training of new employees. Takes appropriate enforcement actions to ensure regulatory non-compliances are corrected. Assist to coordinate and ensure that required field work inspections are completed in a timely and efficient manner. Receives and responds to complaints from public and regulated industries. Uses knowledge & training to assist other inspectors in the performance of difficult or complex inspections.
30%
Employee inspects and grades eggs, poultry or poultry products in a plant environment as a relief grader to ensure that all USDA regulations are being followed and the product complies. Ensures that all Federal and State rules and regulations governing eggs, poultry & poultry products are followed. Issues USDA certificates as needed, keeps USDA files up to date as required and works with appropriate USDA supervision as required by Federal/State cooperative agreement. Assist in training potential new USDA graders in a plant environment. Responsible for grading and certification of eggs or poultry for state institutions and parish schools. The employee ensures that poultry and egg contracts adhere to the specifications requested by state institutions or applicants. Updates industry representatives and other associated personnel on new State & Federal regulatory policy. Provides for the transport of samples to state laboratories.
10%
May perform fruit & vegetable inspections for state institutions as needed.
Other duties may be assigned.
Functional Requirements:
Moderate light lifting, 30 pounds with occasional lifting of up to SO pounds
Reaching above shoulders
Climbing stairs
Frequent reaching above shoulder height
Occasional bending or kneeling
Drive a vehicle to perform inspections
Lifting items such as tools, computer, scanner, luggage or other items used to travel and perform duties/attend class throughout the state
Climbing on and off transport and tractor
Environmental Factors:
Working indoors and occasionally 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 follow policies and procedures based on our definition: 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.
I have no experience and/or am uncomfortable following policies and procedures
I have limited experience or require assistance to follow policies and procedures
I can follow policies and procedures
I can follow policies and procedures and help others improve their ability to follow policies and procedures
07
Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below.
08
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
09
Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below.
10
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
11
Explain your rating by providing specific and relevant examples in the box below.
Required Question
Agency
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
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