SENIOR AGRICULTURAL INSPECTOR

State of Nevada (NV); Sparks (NV); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), Division of Plant Health and Compliance, is seeking a Senior Agricultural Inspector for the Sparks office. The incumbent will perform field inspections and surveys for plant diseases under the supervision of the Seed Program Manager and State Plant Pathologist, and will travel to Lyon and Douglas Counties as needed.

Duties include inspecting crops and nursery plants for diseases, collecting plant and soil samples, performing nematode extraction in the

Qualifications

• Two or more years of applicable experience in inspections.
• High school diploma or equivalent education.

Responsibilities

• Perform shipping point inspections.
• Participate in noxious weed eradication and pest control programs.
• Supervise or prepare spray formulations, spray infestations, and complete daily report forms.
• Conduct international flight arrival inspections at airports and military bases.
• Inspect garlic seed samples, hay, poultry, and other agricultural commodities.
• Participate in relaxing, pinning, labeling, and sorting field-collected insects into collection cases.
• Conduct insect surveys and complete insect distribution maps, distribution, and host cards.
• Collect plant and soil samples, conduct laboratory preparation work, isolate plant pathogens from samples, extract nematodes from products, and enter survey and diagnostic data.
• Coordinate field inspections, track inspection status of each registered agricultural field.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Skills

USDA policies

Plant disease knowledge

Egg grading knowledge

Inspection methods

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), Division of Plant Health and Compliance is seeking to fill an open position of Senior Agricultural Inspector in the Sparks office within the Plant Pathology & Seed Program. The incumbent will be responsible for performing field inspections and surveys for plant diseases under the supervision of the Seed Program Manager and State Plant Pathologist. This is a full time position and will be based in Sparks, but the incumbent will be required to travel to agricultural and horticultural production areas, mainly in Lyon and Douglas Counties. Duties include inspecting agricultural crops and nursery plants for diseases, collecting plant and soil samples from the field, performing nematode extraction in the lab, and assisting the Seed Program Manager with regulatory and certification programs as well as seed laboratory testing.

Agricultural Inspectors perform sampling and inspection of agricultural products at shipping point inspection facilities and participate in pest control and noxious weed eradication.

Two or more years of applicable experience as described in the job duties and graduation from high school or equivalent education.

1. Perform shipping point inspections.
2. Participate in noxious weed eradication and pest control programs.
3. Supervise or prepare spray formulations, spray infestations, and complete daily report forms.
4. Conduct international flight arrival inspections at airports and military bases.
5. Inspect garlic seed samples, hay, poultry, and other agricultural commodities.
6. Participate in relaxing, pinning, labeling, and sorting field-collected insects into collection cases.
7. Conduct insect surveys and complete insect distribution maps, distribution, and host cards.
8. Collect plant and soil samples, conduct laboratory preparation work, isolate plant pathogens from samples, extract nematodes from products, and enter survey and diagnostic data.
9. Coordinate field inspections, track inspection status of each registered agricultural field.
10. Perform related duties as assigned.

This job specification lists the major knowledge, skills and abilities of the job and is not all inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills and abilities from a previous level.

Knowledge of:

• United States Department of Agriculture policies and procedures related to the grading and shipping of potatoes; potato and/or plant diseases; shell egg grading; inspection methods, packing, storing, marketing, and shipping practices of commodities.

Ability to:

• Candle eggs.