AES Administrative Coordinator

Job#:  AES-133082-6.17.24-JS

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is an Equal Opportunity Employer and State as a Model Employer (SAME) to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

This position #133082 is located in the Office of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Pesticide Advisory Commission. The position is listed Statewide, and the work location will be assigned once a candidate is selected.

This position may be filled by probational appointment or promotion of a classified Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry employee serving with permanent status. Applicants who are not permanent employees of Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will be required to serve a 24-month probationary period.

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

• Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization.

All applicants selected for employment must submit to drug screening.

For further information about this vacancy contact:

Jasmine Stewart

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry

5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1001

Baton Rouge, LA 70806

jsstewart@ldaf.state.la.us

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry strictly prohibits workplace harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, national origin, military service, sickle cell trait, protected genetic information or other non-merit factor.  LDAF also strictly prohibits employment decisions based upon or influenced by such factors.   

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A baccalaureate degree with at least twenty-four semester hours in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, or environmental science, an engineering field, or any combination, plus five years of professional level experience in agronomy, entomology, horticulture, structural pest control, pesticide inspection or enforcement, plant pathology, chemistry, wetland resource management, cropland management work, forest management, conservation work, or inspection or enforcement for compliance with agricultural, environmental, food safety, or public health laws, rules or regulations.

SUBSTITUTION:

Experience in inspecting or enforcing for compliance with agricultural laws, rules or regulations will substitute for the specialized coursework on the basis of 12 semester hours for one year of experience.

Experience in planning or implementing soil, water or wetland conservation practices in agricultural or wetland environments will substitute for the specialized coursework on the basis of 12 semester hours for one year of experience.

A master's degree in qualifying fields will substitute for one year of the required experience.

NOTE: Any college hours or degree must be from an accredited college or university.

Function of Work:

To plan, implement, and administer any one or combination of statewide quarantine and horticulture programs, such as apiary, nursery, biotechnology, cooperative plant pest survey, sweet potato programs, etc., pesticide programs, such as pesticide certification and enforcement, pesticide product registration, pesticide emergency response, and pesticide waste disposal, farm worker safety, endangered species protection, or water, food, feed, and fiber monitoring.

OR

To plan, implement, and administer statewide activities involved in assessment and management of environmental impact of agricultural operations on soil, water, air, and other related natural resources.

Level of Work:

Administrator.

Supervision Received:

Administrative direction from an unclassified director or Assistant Commissioner.

Supervision Exercised:

Functional and programmatic over Agricultural Environmental Specialist Managers.

Location of Work:

Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences or Office of Soil and Water Conservation.

Job Distinctions:

Differs from Agricultural Environmental Specialist Managers by responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing statewide agricultural and environmental programs or resource conservation programs and serving as staff expert and consultant for these programs.Incumbent of this position will plan, implement, and administer the Pesticide Product Registration Program for the Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences within the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry. This position provides administrative and/or support to the Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Pesticide Division Director for pesticide emergency response, pesticide waste disposal, and pesticide spill response and remediation. Other statewide activities involve the assessment and management of environmental impact of agricultural operations on soil, water, air and other related natural resources. Supervision for this position is received from the unclassified Pesticide Division Director.

80%

Coordinates field activities of Agricultural Environmental Specialists with cooperating agencies such as: Environmental Protection Agency, Cooperative Extension Service, Soil and Water Conservation, State Police, Department of Environmental Quality and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Develop guidelines, programs and policies for manufacturers' registering pesticide products with the state.

Evaluate pesticide manufacturers' product labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for compliance and accuracy of labels and labeling to meet Louisiana Pesticide Rules and Regulations.

Ensure that all pesticide registrants product meet or exceed the Louisiana Pesticide Law/Rules and Regulations.

Coordinate with pesticide manufacturers to ensure products offered for sale in Louisiana shall be registered with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Review and propose Louisiana state pesticide laws and rules and regulations, governing the use and misuse of pesticide products.

Disseminate information to and from other state and federal governmental agencies, such as EPA.

Develop guidelines for Emergency Responses such as spills from pesticide usage. Receives inquiries from program applicants, pesticide product registrants, attorneys, consultants, action groups, farmer, general public, corporation executives, university and other educational officials, public complaints, and/or other interested parties, and in response to these inquires explains technical programs specific procedures, topics, and/or concepts in simplified or "lay" terminology. These responses require judgment and interpretation of laws, rules, and regulations as they may apply.

20%

Plans and develops program priorities for Emergency Response activities.

Serve as the agency's "expert" to assist Agricultural Environmental Specialists in the field on special projects that are complex. Train and assist Agricultural Environmental Specialist to conduct Emergency Response investigations and to proceed with clean-up operations.

Develop and maintain Program Procedure Manuals for Emergency Response.

Coordinates federal and state cooperative programs. Administer regulatory decisions and recommendations involving management, direction, and regulation of program areas.

Represents the department on matter related to pesticide registration in hearings and meetings with the public and meetings with local officials and representative of other state or federal agencies.

Develops program priorities as needed.

Other duties as may be assigned.

Functional Requirements:

• Moderate light lifting, 30 pounds with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds

• Climbing stairs and occasionally ladders

• Occasional bending or kneeling

• Sit over a long period of time at workstation or in a vehicle for travel

• Drive a vehicle to perform job duties

• Reaching above should and carrying specialized equipment to perform job duties

• Walking over irregular ground and standing for long periods of time

• Occasional demands for moderately strenuous activities in emergencies

• Carrying items such as tools, computer, scanner, luggage or other items used to travel and

   perform job duties/attend class throughout the state

Environmental Factors:

• Occasional excessive heat and humidity exposure

• Wear appropriate protection equipment as required

• Working indoors and outdoors

• Slippery and uneven walking surfaces

• Occasionally working in moderately cold temperatures

• Exposed to grain dust and bad odors from farm animals, chemicals, fertilizers and other agricultural materials

• Working around routine residential, agricultural, industrial hazard