Working Title: Agricultural Chemical Advisor
Job Class: Agricultural Advisor - Ag Chemicals
Agency: Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Who May Apply: This vacancy is open for bids and for all qualified job seekers simultaneously. Bidders will be considered through 02/22/2023..
• Date Posted: 02/16/2023
• Closing Date: 03/17/2023
• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit: Agriculture Dept / Agriculture-MAPE
• Division/Unit: Agriculture-Saint Paul / Facility Management Staff
• Work Shift/Work Hours: Day Shift
• Days of Work: Monday - Friday
• Travel Required: Yes
• Salary Range: $25.25 - $37.02 / hourly; $52,722 - $77,297 / annually
• Job Class Option: Agricultural Chemicals
• Classified Status: Classified
• Bargaining Unit/Union: 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE
• FLSA Status: Nonexempt
• Telework Eligible: Yes
• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities: Yes

Make a difference in the lives of Minnesotans.

The work you’ll do is more than just a job. Join the talented, engaged and inclusive workforce dedicated to creating a better Minnesota.

This position will be located in one of the following agency offices: St. Paul, St. Cloud, Glenwood, Fergus Falls, Rochester, Mankato or Detroit Lakes and may have an option to telework.

This position is an agricultural chemical advisor inspector regulatory position. The position exists to provide anhydrous ammonia and chemigation inspection, program coordination, technical assistance, permitting and regulatory support to the PFMD’s Facility Management Unit.

Specifically, the position will conduct regulatory inspections at anhydrous ammonia facilities and equipment, chemigation permitted facilities, respond to agricultural complaints and incidents. The position will enforce various agricultural chemical state and federal laws, rules and regulations which are the responsibility of the Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division. This includes but is not limited to the review of anhydrous ammonia, chemigation, liquid/dry bulk agricultural chemical, routine fixed site and fertilizer and pesticide incident inspections and investigations for violations, review coordination of inspections, creation of case summaries/recommendations for enforcement action, the issuance of non-financial penalty actions and the development and implementation of regulatory outreach and surveillance programs.

The position will also assist in training new field inspectors and provide additional training to existing inspectors on an as needed basis.

Minimum Qualifications

To facilitate proper years of service crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held.

Two (2) years of work experience in an agricultural chemical industry including enforcement or compliance of hazardous materials pesticides and fertilizers, research of pesticides and fertilizer or cleanup of chemical incidents. NOTE: A Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Biology, Botany, Environmental Science, Entomology, Horticulture, Soil Science, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field and in Agriculture, Biology, Botany, Environmental Science, Entomology, Horticulture, Soil Science, or a related field may substitute one (1) year of professional work experience.

AND

Knowledge of:

• The use, storage, handling, distribution, and disposal of pesticides/fertilizers in irrigation systems.
• Applicable federal and state statutes and rules.
• Federal and state protocol for performing inspections, conducting investigations, obtaining, and handling evidence including samples.
• Enforcement procedures.

Excellent communication and customer service skills.

Ability to maintain professional interactions with potentially hostile and uncooperative persons. Excellent interpersonal and public relations skills.

The ability to celebrate diversity and a strong commitment to a respectful and inclusive work environment.

Must have a valid driver's license and an acceptable motor vehicle record subject to review.

Must be available for reasonable travel, including some overnight stays and weekend events. Reasonable travel may include up to five overnights away from the remote workstation.

Preferred Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Biology, Botany, Environmental Science, Entomology, Horticulture, Soil Science, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.

More than two (2) years of work experience in agricultural chemical industry including enforcement or compliance of hazardous materials, pesticides and fertilizers, research of pesticides and fertilizer or cleanup of chemical incidents.

Experience in anhydrous ammonia, chemigation, agriculture, horticulture, hazardous materials or similar discipline as an agricultural educator, or fertilizer or pesticide applicator.

Excellent communication and customer service skills.

Ability to maintain professional interactions with potentially hostile and uncooperative persons. Excellent interpersonal and public relations skills.

Physical Requirements

The incumbent needs physical dexterity that permits standing, kneeling, bending and stretching, and climbing up and down steps or ladders, lifting to 25 pounds and traversing slippery/uneven surfaces. Incumbent must be able to walk long distances over uneven terrain and may be exposed to extremes of heat and cold in the performance of his/her duties. Incumbent must be able to work with difficult individuals and must remove him/herself from situations when necessary for protection. The incumbent must perform routine office tasks such as sitting and viewing a computer. The incumbent needs to travel overnight on and must drive a vehicle for an extended period. The position may encounter dangerous equipment and work conditions and must take precautions to protect themself from injury. The position will work at times near agricultural chemicals and potential exposure is possible. The position must know and use personal protection principals, and safety protocols. The position must be able to wear all required safety equipment and follow SOPs for personal protection. All applicable State, Department and Program safety policies are required to be followed, including use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe operation of motor vehicles and prohibited confined space entry.

Additional Requirements

A job offer will be contingent upon successfully passing a background check. It is the policy of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, as part of its hiring procedures, to conduct background checks on the finalist(s) for positions within the agency. The background check may consist of the following components:

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

How to Apply

Select “Apply for Job” at the top of this page. If you have questions about applying for jobs, contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us. For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.

If you have questions about the position, contact Jane Boerboom at jane.boerboom@state.mn.us.

To receive consideration as a Connect 700 Program applicant, apply online, email the Job ID#, the Working Title and your valid Proof of Eligibility Certificate by the closing date to Tracy Ohmann at tracy.ohmann@state.mn.us.

About Minnesota Department of Agriculture

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has served our state for more than 125 years. The work we do touches every Minnesota citizen every day.

Our mission is to enhance all Minnesotans’ quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment, and the strength and resilience of our agricultural economy.

Our three general areas of responsibility include:

• Protecting our food supply;
• Protecting our natural resources; and,
• Cultivating our agricultural economy.

Why Work for Us

This position is an opportunity to help protect and improve Minnesota’s environment and enhance public health. This position exists to perform regulatory inspections and program management in the anhydrous ammonia and chemigation permitting and inspection programs, and perform outreach and education to promote an understanding of how to comply with MDA requirements. Incident investigations are conducted to determine the cause of a release and corrective actions are completed to reduce or eliminate the risk of future releases. The work is challenging and requires persistence and creativity to meet inspection and permitting goals and provide the necessary outreach and education to gain compliance.

Diverse Workforce

We are committed to continually developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our state and the populations we serve. The varied experiences and perspectives of employees strengthen the work we do together and our ability to best serve the people of Minnesota.

A recent engagement survey of State of Minnesota employees found:

• 95% of employees understand how their work helps achieve their agency’s mission
• 91% of employees feel trusted to do their jobs
• 88% of employees feel equipped to look at situations from other cultural perspectives when doing their job
• 87% of employees report flexibility in their work schedule

Comprehensive Benefits

Our benefits aim to balance four key elements that make life and work meaningful: health and wellness, financial well-being, professional development, and work/life harmony. As an employee, your benefits may include:

• Public pension plan
• Training and professional development
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• 11 paid holidays each year
• Paid parental leave
• Low-cost medical and dental coverage
• Prescription drug coverage
• Vision coverage
• Wellness programs and resources
• Employer paid life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Health care spending and savings accounts
• Dependent care spending account
• Tax-deferred compensation
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Federal Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Programs, resources and benefits eligibility varies based on type of employment, agency, funding availability, union/collective bargaining agreement, location, and length of service with the State of Minnesota.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota state agencies are equal opportunity, affirmative action, and veteran-friendly employers. The State of Minnesota recognizes that a diverse workforce is essential and strongly encourages qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply.

We will make reasonable accommodations to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us and indicate what assistance is needed.