Agriculture Specialist 1-3

Job Description

Job #ACS-172000-8.19.26-TW
This position is located within the Office of Agro Consumer Services (ACS), Weights and Measures Division, In New Orleans, La.
***Preference given to residency in St. Bernard, Orleans, or Jefferson Parish.

Ready to make a meaningful impact on Louisiana's workforce and organizational culture? Join the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry as an Agriculture Specialist! Agriculture Specialists (Inspectors) in the Weights and Measures Division inspect and test all commercial weighing and measuring devices within the state used for solid or liquid commodities to ensure that devices are accurate and correct, to ensure that these devices are used for the purpose for which they are intended and to ensure that they are properly maintained and operated.
LDAF cares about the well-being of its employees! We offer a fully employer-funded Employee Assistance Program (EAP), providing valuable support and resources to help you and your household members thrive at work and at home. The EAP is also free for all members of your household.
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.

• Managing Resources: The ability to ensure resources such as time, money, and people are utilized appropriately to result in maximum business value.

Selected Preferred Competencies:

• Acting Decisively: The ability to make decisions quickly and effectively.

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas.

• Demonstrating Initiative: The ability to assess information and take action independently to help the organization achieve its goals.

• Solving Problems: The ability to discover solutions to problems.

• Thinking Critically: The ability to objectively question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate information to form a conclusion.

Three years of experience in one or a combination of the following:1. Administrative services2. Inspecting or enforcing compliance with agricultural laws, rules, or regulations3. Inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devicesORA bachelor's degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental, health, or physical science, or an information technology, mathematics, or business field.The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.Job Duties:
• Responsible for package inspections of prepackaged commodities to ensure accurate weight and labeling. Equipment inspected included electronic pricing equipment, taximeters, and all light, medium and heavy-duty devices (e.g. retail/wholesale counter scales, truck scales, stockyard and hopper scales, cattle scales, monorail or overhead scales, platform, suspension and cotton beam scales, refrigerated milk tanks, motor fuel dispensing devices, and delicate highly accurate scales used in the sale or trade of precious metals).

• Weighs, measures and inspects packages or amounts of commodities kept for the purpose of sale, offered for sale or sold in the process of delivery to ensure amounts represented are accurate as prescribed by law, and places stop orders on those that do not meet the specified standards.

• Performs inspections required by law to prove the size, quantity, extent, area or measurement of commodities or their dispensers.

• Tests and issues seals, tags of approval, or certificates for weighing and measuring devices and rejects those that do not meet the specified standards.

• Inspects labeling and markings on pre-packaged goods to ensure all products in commercial markets reflect an accurate description of the product.

• Maintains and utilizes equipment such as test weights, special tools, equal arm balances, etc.

• Obtains samples of motor fuel products from retailers, forwards samples to fuel laboratory for testing.

• Inspects fuel dispensing devices to ensure correct calibration and labeling; issues certification decals or rejects those that do not meet specifications.

• Assists the Heavy-Duty Inspectors either by directly helping with the testing of heavy-duty scales or indirectly by serving as a witness to the testing of heavy-duty scales.

Other duties as may be assigned.

Functional Requirements:
• Lifting up to 50-pound weights

• Reaching above the shoulders

• Climbing stairs and ladders

• Working above and below ground level

• Sitting for long periods of time at workstation or vehicle for travel

• Driving a truck to perform inspections and investigations

• Walking over irregular ground and standing for long periods of time

• Using proper techniques for lifting tools, computers, weights, hoses or other items used in either the performance of duties or attending training throughout the state

• Observing recognized safety procedures in handling fuels, tools, weights, and climbing and working around hazardous structures

Environmental Factors:
• Ability to work in extremes of temperature and humidity especially while wearing required safety gear

• Working indoors and outdoors

• Working around both residential and commercial structures that may be hazardous

• Working with hazardous material such as fuels, oils, other hydrocarbons and chemicals

• Exposure to dust, bad odors, fumes, slippery surfaces, mud, and animal excrement

Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type:
• Full-time- this position may be filled by probation or by promotion of a classified employee of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry serving with permanent status.

• Applicants who are not permanent employees of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will be required to serve a probationary period up to 24 months.

Career Progression: This position may be filled as an Agriculture Specialist 1, 2, or 3, depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant(s).
Compensation: *Below positions have a Special Entrance Rate in the Career Progression Group*
Agriculture Specialist 1 has an SER of $1,538.47 Bi-weekly.
Agriculture Specialist 2 has an SER of $1,646.40 Bi-weekly.
Agriculture Specialist 3 has an SER of $1,761.40 Bi-weekly.

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.

How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.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.
*Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Tiffany Waddell - HR Analyst
Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry
5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1001
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
twaddell@ldaf.state.la.us

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry strictly prohibits workplace harassment and discrimination on the 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.