Remote Seed Crop Inspector Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Department Information Who we are: Agriculture is a part of all our lives. When you eat, put on clothes, or care for an animal--your life is touched by agriculture. Colorado's food and agriculture industry generated $47 billion of economic activity in 2019 and supports nearly 5% of the state's workforce.

CDA is proud to be a part of such an important industry. Mission: The CDA's mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado's agriculture; promote a safe and high-quality food supply; protect consumers; and foster responsible stewardship of the environment. Core Values: Partnership, Service, Professionalism, Proactivity, and Respect CDA Wildly Important Goals: To accomplish our mission, CDA focuses on five "wildly important goals:" Goal 1: Expanding National and International Market Access Goal 2: Developing Agricultural Leaders Goal 3: Advancing the Colorado Water Plan Goal 4: Implementing the Beaver Strategy Goal 5: Providing Education on Animal Mistreatment and Livestock Theft We use these goals to focus and align the daily work of our staff in support of Colorado farmers and ranchers.

Learn more about our Department and our wildly important goals in our performance plan on our website. What you get from us: In addition to a great work location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer: Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including aPERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus optional 401(k) and 457 plans (www.copera.org) Medical and dental health plans (https://stateofcoloradobenefits.com/) Employer supplemented Health Savings Account ($60 per month) Paid life insurance, plus additional optional life insurance options Paid Short Term Disability and optional Long Term Disability coverage 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave accruals BenefitHub state employee discount program Employee Wellness program State of Health Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, remote work opportunities, free parking, professional development and more. To learn about the total compensation package for State government employment visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/totalcompensation Equal Opportunity The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities. We believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them.

Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Learn more about our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion by visiting our EDI Homepage: https://dpa.colorado.gov/about-us/edi. Description of Job Work Unit: This work unit exists to perform inspections, investigations, compliance assistance and other assigned duties across the state that are necessary to accomplish the mission and purpose of regulatory and other programs within the purview of the Division of Plant Industry, Colorado Department of Agriculture

The various programs within the division deal with consumer protection, environmental protection, industry practices, worker safety, agricultural commodities production and export, and related issues. The unit's external customers include pesticide users, agricultural producers, and processors of agricultural commodities, exporters of agricultural commodities, other sectors of agricultural industries, and other entities, in support of the overall division mission. Position: This position is an entry level training position that performs necessary field work and other assigned duties, in accordance with established procedures and guidelines.

The position works under the direction of the Plant Industry Field Services Section Chief in cooperation with various program managers to enforce laws and rules and perform other functions pertaining to: pesticides, pesticide applicators, nurseries and greenhouses, phytosanitary certificates, and other divisional mission related duties as assigned. Work includes but not limited to the following. Inspection - Inspects commodities, crops, facilities and other items to determine compliance with statutes and other requirements.

Investigation - Investigates alleged violations related to certain statutes and collects evidence and official samples related to alleged or possible violation of laws, rules or for other purposes. Communication - Disseminates information, informs, or instructs coworkers, regulated entities, and the public about the agencies underlying rationale, motive, intent, laws, rules, and policies. Reporting - Creates or compiles reports and findings regarding inspections and investigations and submits them to program managers.

Other duties as assigned. Primary Duties: Inspections: Under the guidance of the Field Services Section Chief, Lead Inspector, and more senior inspectors, the position continues to learn and develop and improve general and special skills to perform all assigned duties. Duties include inspections to detect regulatory problems and determine compliance with various requirements of statute and rules of the Pesticide Act, the worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Applicators' Act, and other laws and rules as assigned.

Inspections include but are not limited to pesticides and pesticide devices, dealers of such products, pesticide applicators' records, pesticide storage, pesticide equipment, agricultural commodities, agricultural commodity processing practices and facilities, and pesticide disposal practices at business and field locations. Inspection sites may include but are not limited to greenhouses, nurseries, other crop production areas, irrigation pivots, agricultural production fields, agricultural commodity storage areas, organic production and processing areas. Inspection requires the position to visually examine or compare items, to handle, lift, and manipulate items and equipment up to 50 pounds in weight, detect colors, sizes, and shapes, to climb in and out of vehicles and warehouse areas, and drive a vehicle for periods of up to five or more hours per day.

Prior to completion of one year at the CS-II level, the position must satisfactorily complete all training requirements and develop all necessary inspection related knowledge sets and skills and be competent in. the use of special equipment for inspection related functions; verbal interaction with others by asking questions and listening to responses; walking and maneuvering in restricted areas and diverse terrain; driving to the location to perform job functions; planning and scheduling inspections and contacts effectively and efficiently. Professionally and courteously exchanging information via telephone or other electronic media; working cooperatively, Professionally and courteously with coworkers, stakeholders and the general public.

Accurately filling out or creating various reports by legibly handwriting and/or using a computer including the use of standard office computer programs (Word, Excel, and Google) and other special programs; completing all assigned work tasks; submitting required reports to the appropriate Field Services Section Chief or program manager on time, with the adequate ability to function at the "journeyman" level CS-II. The position must understand and accurately and correctly follow or implement instructions and directives from the Plant Industry Field Services Section Chief, Lead Inspector, and program managers or other higher management positions. All work must be in accordance with established guidelines, policies, and procedures.

The position works with the Lead Inspector or a more experienced inspector until the appropriate program managers, training inspector(s) and the Field Services Section Chief determine that the position is competent and possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to work alone on specific assignments. The position develops a weekly work plan to accomplish assigned duties efficiently and effectively and submits the plan to the Field Services Section Chief each Friday by 4:00 PM for approval for the following week. Position may frequently be required with little or no advanced notice, to travel by automobile, commercial airliner, or other common mode of transportation, in state or out of state, and stay overnight one or more weeks at a time up to 20 or more weeks per year (approximately 30 - 35 % of work time).

Investigations: Position operates with intermediate level working knowledge and improving those skills required for investigating complaints and other alleged violations of the Pesticide, Pesticide Applicators' Acts and other laws and rules. Pesticide related investigation is done in cooperation with and with direction from the Pesticide Enforcement Specialist or appropriate program manager. Prior to completion of one year at the CS-II level, the position must satisfactorily complete all training requirements and demonstrate competency in all necessary investigation related knowledge sets and skills including: analyzing situations and conditions.

logical reasoning. interviewing witnesses by asking questions and listening to responses; making photographs collecting evidentiary samples including pesticide residue and other samples gathering other pertinent evidence sketching maps or other diagrams compiling information into accurate, legible, understandable reports and filing those reports with Pesticide Enforcement Manager in a timely manner and in accordance with established guidelines and policies with the adequate ability to function at the "journeyman" level CS-II. Position should be able to visually examine or compare items; handle, lift and manipulate items and equipment up to 50 pounds in weight; distinguish basic colors, sizes and shapes such as differentiating between healthy and apparently herbicide damaged plant material; climb in and out of vehicles, warehouse areas etcetera; verbally interact with others by asking questions, listening to responses and formulating further questions as needed, in an interview, investigation, or other situation; walk and maneuver in restricted areas and diverse terrain; and drive to inspection, investigation, and other locations as required.

The position might confer with legal counsel about investigations and testify in administrative, civil, and criminal hearings and investigations. The position must understand and accurately and correctly follow or implement instructions and directives from the Plant Industry Field Services Section Chief, program managers or other higher management positions. All work must be in accordance with established guidelines, policies, and procedures.

Position may frequently be required with little or no advanced notice, to travel by automobile, commercial airliner, or other common mode of transportation, in state or out of state, and stay overnight one or more weeks at a time. Position works with a more experienced inspector until the appropriate program managers, training inspector(s) and the supervisor determine that the position is competent and possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to work alone on specific assignments. Communicating and Reporting: Prior to completion of one year at the CS-II level, the position must satisfactorily complete all training requirements and develop all necessary communication related knowledge sets and skills and be competent in: Dissemination of information to regulated entities and the general public about the agency's underlying rationale, motive, intent, laws, rules, and policies by verbal or written communication, or by audio-video presentation in accordance with established procedures and guidelines Communication with regulated entities to gain compliance with laws and rules through cooperation and understanding Communicating work related information clearly and professionally with coworkers, program managers, and supervisors; with sufficient abilities to function at the "journeyman" level CS-II.

Additionally the position must satisfactorily complete all additional training requirements and improve all necessary reporting related knowledge sets and skills and be competent in Operating and using standard and special computer programs and other graphic aids as needed to create, review, summarize or compile reports and findings related to investigations. inspections and other work unit related activities, submitting reports and findings to program managers in an accurate and timely manner and maintains confidentiality regarding all information obtained. The position must understand and accurately and correctly follow or implement instructions and directives from the Plant Industry Field Services Section Chief and program managers or other higher management positions.

All work must be in accordance with established guidelines, policies, and procedures. Position works in contact with the Lead Inspector or a more experienced inspector learning communication related skills and knowledge sets until the appropriate program managers, training inspector(s) and the supervisor determine that the position is competent and possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to work alone on specific assignments. Enforcement: In keeping with the division's philosophy of compliance through cooperation, prior to completion of one year at the CS-II level, the position must satisfactorily complete all training requirements and develop all necessary enforcement related knowledge sets and skills and be competent in: informing, advising, counseling, and guiding regulated entities to resolve compliance problems; issuing legal documents to regulated entities in accordance with established procedures and guidelines for enforcement and other purposes including, Notices of Violation, Cease and Desist Orders, and Stop Sale Orders.

issuing documents based on judgment, observation, record reviews, and by using established guidelines and other information to assess the situation at hand; obtaining documentation and other evidence...