Plant Quarantine Series
California State Personnel Board Specification
Series established May 20, 1975
Scope
This series specification describes the Plant Quarantine Inspector classes within the Department of Food and Agriculture.
Definition of Series
The Plant Quarantine Inspector series describes inspection, regulatory, and enforcement responsibilities of individuals working at border quarantine stations involved in the detection of agricultural pests and other illegal drugs or commodities to prevent their entry into California.
Incumbents at border stations make inspections of plant materials carried in automobiles and other vehicles for the presence of agricultural pests and for compliance with plant quarantine regulations; inspect shipments of fruits, nuts, and vegetables to determine compliance with fruit and vegetable standardization requirements; coordinate and cooperate with related officials in the enforcement of illegal drugs or commodities; determine violations of plant pest provisions and issue appropriate citation; make preliminary identification of insect and disease pests; send specimens to specialists for further identification; intercept and dispose of condemned articles.
Entry Level
Entry into this series is typically from outside State service.
Factors Affecting Position Allocation
Level, volume, variety and complexity of work assigned; independence of action; degree of supervisory responsibility, and geographic area of responsibility.
Definition of Levels
Plant Quarantine Inspector
This is the entry, trainee, and journey level for this series. Under close supervision as a trainee, incumbents learn inspection procedures and perform less difficult tasks. As a journeyperson, incumbents perform lead inspection duties, perform the more difficult inspections, train and guide lower level/ intermittent inspectors.
Plant Quarantine Supervisor I
This is the first supervisory level. Under direction serves: (1) independently as a Shift Supervisor at a border quarantine station with either a large volume of inspections or medium-small volume of inspections; or (2) as a Supervisor-in-Charge of a border quarantine station with a small volume of inspections with less complexity.
Plant Quarantine Supervisor II
This is the second supervisory level of the series. Incumbents under direction have charge of a border quarantine station with a large volume of inspections or medium-small volume of inspections consisting of the most complex inspections.
Plant Quarantine Officer
This is the third supervisory level of the series. Under direction incumbents are responsible for exterior activities in a large bordering area of the State.
Minimum Qualifications
Plant Quarantine Inspector
Either I
Experience: Six months of experience performing the duties of an Agricultural Services Technician II, Range B, in the California state service. and
Education: Equivalent to completion of nine semester units of college level course work in job-related sciences. (Applicants who are enrolled for the minimum appropriate college courses required may be admitted to the examination, but must show proof of completion before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)
Or II
One season of experience (approximately three months) in agricultural inspection or plant pest control work. [Completion of either (1) one year of college work with courses in the plant sciences or agricultural inspection or (2) two years of general college work may be substituted for the required experience.]
Plant Quarantine Supervisor I
Either I
One year of experience performing the duties of a Plant Quarantine Inspector, Range B, in the California state service. (Applicants who are within six months of meeting the minimum qualifications will be admitted to the examination but must have completed the required experience as a Plant Quarantine Inspector, Range B, before being considered eligible for appointment.)
Or II
Three years of experience which includes the inspection of plants, vegetables, and fruits for presence of agricultural pests carried in conveyances and requiring personal contact with the traveling public. At least one year of this experience must have been in a supervisory capacity. (State service experience applied toward meeting this requirement must have been performing duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of a Plant Quarantine Inspector, Range B.) (Completion of one year of college work with courses in plant sciences or agricultural inspection may be substituted for one year of the required nonsupervisory experience.)
Plant Quarantine Supervisor II
Either I
One year of experience performing the duties of a Plant Quarantine Supervisor I in the California state service.
Or II
Two years of experience performing the duties of a Plant Quarantine Inspector, Range B.
Applicants who are within six months of meeting the minimum qualifications for either Pattern I or II will be admitted to the examination but must have completed the required experience in the class before being considered eligible for appointment.
Or III
Four years of experience which includes the inspection of plants, vegetables, and fruits for the presence of agricultural pests carried in conveyances and requiring personal contact with the traveling public. At least two years of this experience must have been in a supervisory capacity. (State service experience applied toward meeting this requirement must have been performing duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of a Plant Quarantine Inspector, Range B.) (Completion of one year of college work with courses in plant sciences or agricultural inspection may be substituted for one year of the required nonsupervisory experience.)
Plant Quarantine Officer
Either I
One year of experience performing the duties of a Plant Quarantine Supervisor II.
Or II
Two years of experience performing the duties of a Plant Quarantine Supervisor I.
Applicants who are within six months of meeting the minimum qualifications for either Pattern I or II will be admitted to the examination but must have completed the required experience in the class before being considered eligible for appointment.
Or III
Five years of progressively responsible experience which includes the inspection of plants, vegetables, and fruits for the presence of agricultural pests carried in conveyances and requiring personal contact with the traveling public. At least two years of this experience must have been in a supervisory capacity. (State service experience applied toward meeting this requirement must have been performing duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of a Plant Quarantine Supervisor I.) (Completion of one year of college work with courses in plant sciences or agricultural inspection may be substituted for one year of the required nonsupervisory experience.)
Knowledge and Abilities
Plant Quarantine Inspector
Knowledge of: Methods and procedures used in plant quarantine inspections; general types of commodities inspected and quarantined; and the objective of plant quarantines in California.
Ability to: Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; interpret laws, rules, and regulations and apply them to specific situations; secure the friendly cooperation of the traveling public and others contacted in the course of the work; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; follow directions.
Plant Quarantine Supervisor I
Knowledge of: All of the above, and Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations covering plant quarantine inspections; names, life history, hosts, and distribution of insects and disease pests, noxious weeds and restricted wild animals being excluded; State laws, rules, and regulations dealing with fruit and vegetable quality control, treatment methods for infested products and the proper disposition procedures for intercepted material; approved methods of plant quarantine inspections; principles of effective supervision; Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; a manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.
Ability to: All of the above, and work independently; plan, organize, and direct the work of others; prepare reports and correspondence; effectively contribute to the Department's affirmative action objectives.
Plant Quarantine Supervisor II
Knowledge of: All of the above.
Ability to: All of the above.
Plant Quarantine Officer
Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles of personnel and budgetary management.
Ability to: All of the above, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with Federal, State, and county agencies; make special studies on exclusion exterior program problems, evaluate results, interpret findings and make recommendations.
Additional Desirable Qualification
All Levels:
Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.
Special Personal Requirements
All Levels:
Willingness to work holidays, Saturdays, Sundays, and other odd hours; reside in areas distant from centers of population.
Special Physical Requirements
All Levels:
Normal hearing or hearing corrected to normal. Ability to climb ladders, stoop and bend regularly.
Class History
