Environmental Science Jobs in Sarasota, FL (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 875103 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 42000164

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42000164 

Salary:  $53,000.22 - $58,300.32 

Posting Closing Date: 05/22/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

This positions headquarters is negotiable within Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Highlands, Martin, Saint Lucie, and Palm Beach Counties.

CONTACT:

Brianna Harvey, 850-617-7905

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent and two (2) years of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture; or

A high school diploma or its equivalent and one and a half (1.5) years of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or

A bachelor's degree (4 years) from an accredited college and six (6) months of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture.

Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.

EDUCATIONAL NOTE: Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.  A list of approved agencies can be viewed at "Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education." Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org) 

***ATTENTION CANDIDATES***

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• 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.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

The incumbent of this position is considered to have regulatory responsibilities and is subject to the provisions of Chapter 60L-36, FAC.

Must possess a restricted-use pesticide license in the category of regulatory inspection and sampling and must maintain licensure thereafter. Will be subject to the requirements of the proper use of appropriate respirator and/or self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and must pass post-employment physical examinations to determine medical fitness for respirator and/or SCBA use. 

This position is a homebase headquarters position. The headquarters is negotiable within the following counties only: Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Highlands, Martin, Saint Lucie, and Palm Beach Counties.

Frequent travel required. 

Must reside in required county(ies) throughout employment in this position.

Must be able to work outside of normal working hours, including occasional weekends and/or holidays as directed. 

Must be willing and able to be deployed from assigned headquarters for extended periods of time for incident response activities.

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.

Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

Flextime schedule.

JOB DUTIES:

Schedule and conduct inspections and collect samples as directed.  Perform these activities in order to determine compliance with Chapters 388, 482, 487, 576, 578 and 580, F.S., and rules 5E-1, 5E-2, 5E-3, 5E-4, 5E-9, 5E-13 and 5E-14, F.A.C.  Perform inspections and sample collections in accordance with established policies and procedures.  Conduct all Feed inspections in accordance with the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS).

Conduct investigations in response to reports, complaints, violations or suspicious matters in order to collect, summarize and report evidence. Perform these activities in order to determine compliance with Chapters 388, 482, 487, 576, 578 and 580, F.S., and rules 5E-1, 5E-2, 5E-3, 5E-4, 5E-9, 5E-13 and 5E-14, F.A.C.  Perform investigations in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Prepare and submit written and electronic reports in a timely manner as required for activities conducted.  Prepare and submit reports in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Issue corrective notices as necessary in accordance with department policy.

Maintain knowledge of relevant state and federal regulations.  Read and interpret pesticide labels, regulations and legal descriptions.  Regularly review current versions of Chapters 388, 482, 487, 576, 578 and 580, F.S., and rules 5E-1, 5E-2, 5E-3, 5E-4, 5E-9, 5E-13 and 5E-14, F.A.C.

Participate in coordinated enforcement activities involving other department employees and government agencies as directed.  Participate in statewide enforcement operations as directed.

Serve as representative of the department in administrative hearings, court proceedings or meetings as necessary.

Serve as Safety Officer and Fit Test Coordinator for the region.  Participate in bureau and division meetings and training courses as required. 

Serve as backup supervisor in the absence of the regional supervisor. Participate in special projects and incident response activities. Perform other duties as requested.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate effectively. 
• Ability to work independently. 
• Ability to deal with the public in a tactful and courteous manner.
• Ability to use personal computers. 
• Ability to lift, maneuver and carry sixty (60) pounds.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the "Total Compensation Estimator Tool" located above under the "Posting Closing Date."

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.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.