AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL SPRAYER

County of Los Angeles; California; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Los Angeles seeks a pesticide sprayer-qualified professional for the Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures department. The role involves selecting and applying pesticides, maintaining spray equipment, ensuring label compliance, and keeping detailed records.

Licenses such as QAC/QAL and a CA Class C license are required, with additional desirable certifications noted. Eligible candidates should have relevant coursework in agriculture or biology and may be required to complete

Qualifications

• OPTION I: 1 year of experience in preparation and application of pesticides with high-pressure spray equipment.
• OPTION II: 2 years of grounds maintenance and care work assisting in pesticide prep and application.
• LICENSES: QAC or QAL from CA DPR required; Class C driver license required.

Responsibilities

• Selects, mixes, and applies pesticides for turf, beds, and public areas.
• Maintains spray equipment and performs preventive maintenance.
• Ensures compliance with label requirements and regulatory standards.
• Keeps records and reports on pesticide use using electronic systems.
• Provides safety training to pesticide applicators and oversees a small crew.

Skills

Pesticide application

Safety training

Record keeping

Education

Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC)

Qualified Applicator License (QAL)

California Driver License (Class C)

Desirable coursework in Agriculture/Horticulture/Biology

POST PC 832 training

Pest Control Advisor License

Fish and Wildlife Trapping License

Job description

Position/Program Information

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER/WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXAM NUMBER

V0398D

Why work for us?

With almost 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California with over 100,000 employees in 39 departments, we provide vital and diverse public services like law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, and cultural activities. The County has more than 2,100 different job types, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. Join us and discover one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the county with a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.

For more information about our amazing benefits, please visit us here: https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/ .

Essential Job Functions

• Selects, mixes, and applies or participates in the selection, mixing, and application of various pesticides such as insecticides, algaecides, rodenticides, herbicides, and fungicides for areas such as turf, fence lines, ball diamonds, planter and shrub beds, waterways, access roads, parks, government building exteriors, landscaping on median strips, parkway planters on public roadways, and public jurisdiction rights-of-way.
• Uses respirators and appropriate personal protective equipment in the application of pesticides as required by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA), California Department of Food and Agriculture, and other regulatory agencies.
• Develops vegetation control spray programs and schedules for a maintenance area or region of a County Department and participates in the management of such programs including estimating cost and staying within budget with Departmental Service Orders (DSO).
• Maintains spray equipment in proper working order including preventive maintenance and minor repairs.
• Oversees and ensures compliance with label requirements.
• Orders and may issue controlled pesticides.
• Keeps records, prepares, and maintains reports regarding control and use of pesticides using electronic devices and various software programs.
• Documents and verifies billable hours for the work performed consistent with Departmental Service Orders (DSO)and contract work.
• Responsible for the safe storage and use of pesticides in conformance with regulations of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) and State Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures.
• Provides safety training to pesticide applicators and others associated with pesticide applications.
• Provides technical direction in the safe and effective application of restricted and non-restricted pesticides to a small crew of Weed Hazard Pest Abatement Workers, Senior Weed Abatement Workers, Pest Control Workers, Grounds Maintenance Workers, Public Works Maintenance Workers, Public Works Laborers and/or other workers performing pesticide spraying activities.
• Drives and operates vehicles such as, but not limited to, small to large pickup trucks, crew cab trucks, and heavy vehicles with motorized spray equipment to various jobsite locations.
• Cleans facilities or sites after performing work assignments.
• Covers areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions. Assesses work site for areas of special concerns or sensitive sites and recommends mitigation measures as appropriate.
• Uses traps and firearms in the performance of managing Vertebrate Pest Programs, as needed.

For additional information regarding the classification standards, please see the Los Angeles Class Specification for Agricultural Chemical Sprayer, #0398 .

Requirements

OPTION I: One (1) year of experience in the preparation and application of pesticides using high-pressure, power-driven spray equipment.

OPTION II: Two (2) years of experience in grounds maintenance and care work assisting in the preparation and application of pesticides using high-pressure, power-driven spray equipment.

LICENSE: A valid Qualified Applicator Certificate* (QAC) and/or Qualified Applicator License* (QAL) i ssued by the State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation with categories: A - Residential, Industrial, and Institutional, B - Landscape Maintenance, and C - Right-of-Way.

A valid California Class C Driver License***** is required to perform job-related essential functions.

WITHHOLDS OR OUT-OF-CLASS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. REQUIREMENTS MUST BE FULLY MET AT THE TIME OF FILING AND CLEARLY INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION.

Desirable Qualifications

• Successful completion of course(s)** in the field of Agriculture, Horticulture, Landscape Irrigation, Plant Science, Zoology, and/or Biology.
• Current and valid Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Penal Code (PC) 832***.
• Pest Control Advisor License****.
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife Trapping License****.

Special Requirement Information

• To qualify and receive credit for the Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC) and/or Qualified Applicator License (QAL), you must include a legible copy of the official certificate and/or license with your application.
• To receive credit for your education, include a legible copy of all relevant official documents, including your diploma, transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution within fifteen (15) days of filing your application. The document should show the date the degree was conferred, number of units and the type of unit system used (e.g., semester, quarter) and be in English. If not in English, then translation is required. International degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to US standards and indicate the number of units and unit system. Include official copies of all relevant documents. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf .
• To receive credit for your POST PC 832 course completion, you must include a legible copy of the official test results with your application. For more information on POST PC 832, please visit: https://post.ca.gov/pc-832-arrest--firearms-requalification .
• To receive credit for your Pest Control Advisor License and/or California Department of Fish and Wildlife Trapping License, you must include a legible copy of the official license with your application.

PHYSICAL CLASS IV – Arduous

This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT

This examination will consist of an evaluation of education, experience, and the Desirable Qualifications based on the application information weighted 100%.

Applicants must meet the Requirements and achieve 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the eligible Register.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Applications will be processed as they are received, and candidates will be added to the list accordingly. Individuals who successfully pass the assessment(s) are placed on a list based on their score group for a duration of twelve (12) months. We will use this list to fill vacancies as they occur. Your score remains valid for twelve (12) months from the date you receive your assessment results notice. NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS.

AVAILABLE SHIFT

Appointees will be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, overtime, and holidays.

Social Security Number

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number when applying.

Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Contact Information

Department Contact Phone: ( 626) 575-5464

Department Contact Email: [e-mail]

Testing Accommodation Coordinator Phone: [phone]

California Relay Services: [phone]

Teletype Phone: [phone]

County of Los Angeles

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below. This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/ .

Testing Accommodations For Applicants

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/ .

Fair Chance

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov .

Veteran’s Credit

Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.

For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

Revised September 2025