ABOLISHED 08/11/2016 PER PAY LETTER 16-16 - Senior Plant Pathologist (Field)
California State Personnel Board Specification
Schematic Code: BE25
Class Code: 1091
Established: 07/24/84
Revised: 06/20/2013
Title Changed: --
Definition
This is a supervisory or staff specialist. As a supervisor, incumbents are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing subordinates in plant pathology field activities in either a statewide control and eradication project, or in a large county pest detection assignment. Incumbents conduct in-depth field studies of problems which affect California plant disease control; develop new pest detection, eradication, control, and exclusion methods; plan and conduct training to State and county personnel; and assist in policy evaluations. As a specialist, incumbents are responsible for conducting the most difficult and complex studies on exotic plant diseases, developing new control and eradication techniques and procedures; and providing training on a statewide basis relating to specialized areas of technical plant pathology, methodology, and evaluation.
Typical Tasks
Professional positions involved in various field activities directed at the protection and maintenance of plants and the minimizing of plant losses due to disease. Incumbents conduct detection surveys, make plant disease pathogen field identification and perform detection, exclusion, control, and eradication activities; conduct extensive studies on exotic plant pathogens and diseases; design, implement, and evaluate new eradication and control techniques, procedures, and programs; analyze potential disease hazards and make recommendations; train Federal, State, and county personnel in plant pathology; serve as consultants to county departments of agriculture, agribusiness, and the general public on phytopathogical problems. Incumbents in this classification work in the field at various locations throughout the State.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Five years of professional experience in plant pathology at least one year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. (Possession of a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology may be substituted for three years of the required nonsupervisory experience.). and
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in plant pathology or a closely related biological science including at least 20 units in plant pathology.
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of: Epidemiology, mycology, bacteriology, nematology, virology, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant morphology, plant anatomy, plant cytology, genetics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry; principles and techniques used for plant disease identification and control; various domestic and foreign literature sources pertaining to plant pathology and related sciences; and importance of plants to a stable ecology.
Ability to: Reason logically and creatively; solve simple plant disease problems; correctly analyze complex disease situations; apply provisions of the California State Agricultural Code as it relates to plant disease and legal aspects of making disease diagnosis; perform investigative projects of average complexity in the field; instruct county personnel on plant pathology and provisions of the California Food and Agricultural Code as it relates to plant diseases; general expertise in some disciplines of plant pathology, and function as professional plant pathologist; do highly specialized plant disease investigations; train technicians and plant pathologists; provide lead direction to technical assistants; develop and adopt improved techniques of disease identification; evaluate the economic importance of plant pathogens and possess a high degree of expertise in some disciplines of plant pathology; general principles of management, administration, and budgeting; and departmental and State of California affirmative action and upward mobility programs and goals.
