OPS PLANT CARE ASSISTANT - 42914327

Florida; Dundee (AL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State benefits

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services operates the Dundee Biological Control Laboratory, a full-time OPS position focusing on plant care and laboratory work with Tamarixia radiata, the pest-control wasp used against Asian citrus psyllid.

Applicants will work in hot/humid greenhouses and controlled labs, performing plant maintenance, pest scouting, and insect handling as part of a collaborative team in Florida's citrus-growing region.

Qualifications

• Experience with plants and insects in greenhouse or lab settings.
• Ability to follow instructions and maintain accuracy.
• Strong communication and time-management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist in greenhouse and laboratory work under controlled conditions.
• Care for plants: prune, transplant, water, and monitor for pests.
• Handle insects: transfer, aspirate, sort, and ship specimens as needed.

Skills

Plant-insect interaction

Nurseries/greenhouse

Attention to detail

Time management

Communication skills

Physical stamina

Job description

Requisition No: 883636

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: OPS PLANT CARE ASSISTANT - 42914327

Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 42914327

Salary: $15.50 Hourly

Posting Closing Date: 09/30/2026

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS PLANT CARE ASSISTANT

(CLASS TITLE: OPS AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN III)

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
DIVISION OF PLANT INDUSTRY

*OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY --

THIS IS A FULL-TIME OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES (OPS) POSITION *

CONTACT

Lourdes Perez Cordero, Phone [phone]

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

NOTES

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Benefits include optional insurance coverage.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience working with plants/insects and greenhouse maintenance.

JOB DUTIES

This position is available at the FDACS Dundee Biological Control Laboratory (DBCL). The facility is located in the town of Dundee, in the heart of the citrus growing region of Central Florida.

The laboratory serves as a mass-rearing facility of Tamarixia radiata, a tiny parasitoid wasp that is a very effective natural enemy of the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), the vector of a serious citrus disease known as greening or Huanglongbing.

This position will assist in greenhouse and laboratory work. The employee will be expected to work in greenhouses under hot/humid conditions, in controlled temperature/humidity chambers and in laboratory environment.

Duties include (but are not limited to): general plant care, pruning/trimming plants, planting/transplanting, scouting for pests, spraying, watering, irrigation system maintenance, sanitization, and general greenhouse maintenance. Other duties involve general insect care, transferring plants in and out of the rearing cages, collecting and transferring insects from cages to vials, aspirating, sorting, and shipping insects. Any other related duties as required or assigned by management.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge with plant-insect interaction.
• Skilled in nurseries; working with plants and/or in laboratories working with insects.
• Ability to be detail oriented and follow instructions.
• Ability to have time management skills and work independently.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to lift 35 lbs., bend repetitiously and stand for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to work outdoors in hot, cold, and humid temperature environments.
• Ability to walk on uneven ground and in inclement weather.
• Ability to adapt to changes such as weather, schedule, etc.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to interact with the public and team members in a professional and courteous manner.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida as an OPS employee is more than just a paycheck.

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements*);
• Participation in the Florida Deferred Compensation Plan (457b). For additional details and online enrollment visit MyFloridaDeferredComp.com;
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan). For more information visit Social Security Alternative Plan (aigrs.com) and read OPS Social Security Alternative Plan (Does not apply to previous FRS Retirees);

• Flexible Spending Accounts; For a more benefits information, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com;
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

*Seasonal and part-time OPS employees (less than 30 hours average per week) refer to People First at 877-562-7287 or go to: https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/myhealth/eligibility_and_enrollment/ops_employees

SPECIAL NOTES

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.