Jobs at California Department of Food and Agriculture

Are you interested in making a difference in California? Do you love California’s agriculture as much as we do? Join the Border Station Program’s efforts to protect California’s natural resources today!

Under supervision of the Station Manager, the Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal) performs regulatory inspections on vehicles and commodities to prevent the introduction of unwanted pests into California. Duties include but limited to:

• Enter the interior of vehicles including trailers, trunks, and passenger compartments of commercial trucks, automobiles, and recreational vehicles, and watercraft in order to inspect for and remove any hitchhiking pests (i.e., gypsy moth, zebra mussel, etc.)
• Read and interpret shipping manifests and quarantine certificates in order to determine the contents and admissibility of commercial shipments.
• Sample and inspect rejected or regulated commodities for pest infestation by collecting and carrying of samples and using knives, fruit crushers, hand lenses, and microscopes to examine commodities.
• Applies good public relations techniques to educate and solicit the cooperation of the public and maintain the good image of Department.

California’s agricultural industry includes over 400 commodities and yields profits of almost $50 billion annually. The Border Station Program is California’s first line of defense against invasive species and exotic pests that may target this industry.

Most stations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Inspectors at the station work various shifts and schedules including nights and weekends.

This position can lead to multiple promotional opportunities within the program, including a full-time, permanent position with benefits and retirement.

This position is located at our Truckee station, located at 12750 Interstate 80, Truckee, CA 96161, approximately 28 miles from Downtown Reno.