Hardee County Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 876993 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 42003308

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42003308 

Salary:  $48,849.84 

Posting Closing Date: 06/15/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL WATER POLICY
***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

CONTACT:
Kasey Deuberry
(850) 464-8066
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
A high school diploma or its equivalent and one (1) year of experience in agriculture or environmental science; or
A high school diploma or its equivalent and six (6) months of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or
A bachelor's degree (4 years) in agriculture or environmental science from an accredited college or university.
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:
In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the Department's Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all departmental and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position.
Frequent travel required.
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.
JOB DUTIES:
This is a professional team-oriented intermediate level position under direction of the Supervisor located in the Hardee County Field Office.  The Environmental Specialist II will assist in implementing Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program established by the Florida Watershed Restoration Act by working with agricultural producers to enroll, implement and verify compliance with BMPs.
Conduct BMP enrollments with agricultural producers using commodity specific manuals, checklists and other tools according to the Enrollment Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).  This includes performing on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations to identify and implement applicable BMPs and conservation practices. Effectively communicate the producer's obligation under the BMP program as defined by FS 403.067, FAC 5M-1 and any other site-specific statutes and rules.  Duties include identifying applicable projects and practices for cost share and implementation.
Assist with conducting Implementation Verification (IV) site visits every 2 years for enrolled producers according to the IV SOP, as assigned by supervisor.  An IV includes performing on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations to confirm compliance with their site specific BMPs as established during the enrollment and updating enrollment to reflect changes in the operation. This process requires analysis of fertilizer records for compliance with University of Florida-IFAS (UF-IFAS) nutrient application rates and the evaluation and collection of producer's nutrient data.  The IV evaluation involves a determination of compliance with the BMP program and may involve the implementation of corrective measures by the producer.
Assist producers with submitting cost share applications for qualifying projects that provide improve water quality and/or water conservation.  Manage producer cost share agreements in accordance with the applicable cost share contracts and the Cost-Share SOP.  Verify implementation of cost share projects and submit requests for reimbursement.
Assist in delivery of information to and input from the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, resource conservation and development districts, UF-IFAS technical assistance needs, regulatory benefits, research and demonstration, and other aspects of basin-specific plans.  These include assisting Supervisor by helping plan, and then participate in meetings, workshops, field days, and distribution of printed and electronic materials.
Perform other work as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to access digital information and prepare documents using a personal computer with basic understanding of the internet, GIS, Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office products including Outlook scheduling. 
• Knowledge of agricultural practices and techniques related to agricultural BMPs and conservation including nutrient management, irrigation management and water resource protection.
• Ability to interact with the public in a tactful and courteous manner.
• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing. 
• Ability to work independently to plan, organize, coordinate and complete assignments in a timely manner.  
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others. 
• Ability to conduct inspections in agricultural production areas with uneven ground.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  

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.