What are the responsibilities and job description for the Area Supervisor | Quincy - Internal position at State of Washington Dept. of Agriculture?
Description
AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.
The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.
The Opportunity
The Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program is one half of the Commodity Inspection Division and provides accurate and unbiased inspection services to the fresh produce and processing industry to ensure orderly marketing of fruits and vegetables. Within an assigned geographical area, this position is a specialist that performs any or all of the duties of the Program Assistant. Commodities are inspected for quality, size, labeling, condition, and contract specifications and may be certified as free from disease and insects as required by domestic and international markets.
The Agricultural Commodity Inspector Supervisor directs the inspection activity within a geographical area and ensures all employees under their supervision comply with the grade certification standards and inspection procedures for all commodities. This position is required to be in the field up to 50% of the time.
Important Notes
WSDA is recruiting internally for a full-time permanent Agricultural Commodity Inspector Supervisor position within the Commodity Inspection Division. This position is located in Quincy, Washington. This position is represented by Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) Union.
The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is: $61,404.00 - $80,460.00 annually.
Duties
What to Expect
Some of the various responsibilities within this role:
- Schedule, assign and review the daily work of inspection staff, adjust assignments and schedules to maintain adequate staffing levels and to respond to fluctuating workloads. Organize the workload and inspectors to ensure correct staffing to cover the certification needs. Communicate schedule changes to staff and industry.
- Evaluate employee performance. Train, coach and mentor staff. Assess training needs of staff in collaboration with the Regional Manager, arrange for and provide instruction. Keep staff appraised of events that may affect the work environment by providing information and instruction on changes that occur in the marketplace
- Responsible for training of new staff by assigning qualified trainers, using program approved training material, being hands on throughout the training process, evaluating trainee progress by interviewing trainee and trainer, and using milestone knowledge assessments and licensing tests. Recommend federal commodity inspection licensing with USDA AMS.
- Responsible for providing staff with inspection equipment that has been numbered, calibrated and in good working order.
- Ensure equipment is calibrated and documented according to BIQMS manual guidelines, and inspectors complete BIQMS equipment lists for equipment in their possession annually.
- This position exercises full technical and administrative supervision over all inspectors within the assigned area.
- Review, audit and approve inspection staff’s daily timesheets and TEMS vouchers for accuracy and completeness.
- Conduct audits of inspection results from note sheets, phytos and certificates for accuracy, completeness and proper certification. Identify training deficiencies and takes corrective action when deficiencies are noted.
- Perform inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables according to federal and state policies and procedures.
- Enforce state and federal fruit and vegetable laws and regulations.
Qualifications
Who should apply?
Professionals with:
- High School Diploma or GED.
- The incumbent must have the ability to meet and maintain USDA requirements of “For Supervisor Work” on either an unrestricted FV201 license or USDA-AMS FV 200 inspection license to inspect all commodities for the assigned area. The program will determine which licenses will be required.
- Must have and maintain a USDA APHIS ACO license.
- Must have four (4) years of experience performing inspections within a state fruit and vegetable inspection office or in the fruit and vegetable industry related to processing, marketing, and testing.
- Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license to travel on agency business.
In addition to the above qualifications, the following knowledge, skill, and abilities will make a candidate highly desirable:
- Bachelor’s degree with major study in agronomy or closely related field and one year experience leading or supervising within an agricultural environment.
- Holds a valid First Aid/CPR card.
Supplemental Information
Employee Benefits
- A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
- WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
- 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
- All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.
How to apply:
You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:
- A resume detailing experience and education
- A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position
- Three professional references
By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. Applications with comments "see attachments" will be considered incomplete.
If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.
The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.
WSDA uses a I-9 form (Download PDF reader) Download PDF reader) to determine Employment Eligibility and Verification, once hired. This document is the authorization of an individual’s ability to be hired for employment within the United States. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.
Equity at WSDA
The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.
We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Contact Us
Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov. Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.
Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.
Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.
For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.
Salary : $61,404 - $80,460
