Plan your visit to Yakima, WA!
AGRICULTURE – A Cornerstone of Washington’s Economy
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad. The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.
The Opportunity:
WSDA Seed Program provides accurate, timely and high-quality seed analysis and certification services while continually striving for improvements in methods and technologies to assure success for the program and its seed industry stakeholders. WSDA Seed Program is a unit within the Commodity Inspection Division that conducts preharvest seed field inspections and laboratory seed testing of agriculture, vegetable, native plants, rangeland grasses, and flower seeds grown under the certification and phytosanitary programs. The program is responsible for seed certification, seed testing, phytosanitary visual seed inspection, seed inspection and official seed sampling as well as the program is the state seed regulatory agent. Additionally, the program monitors two seed quarantines to assist producers to replicate disease and pest free commodities.
The Seed Laboratory Supervisor (Laboratory Technician 4) directs laboratory activities within the Purity and Breakdown and filing sections of the Seed Laboratory. This role supports overall operations by supervising laboratory technicians and assistants and ensuring all staff comply with applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards. In addition to supervisory duties, this position performs highly complex testing and analysis within their area of specialization.
Important Notes
WSDA is recruiting for a full-time permanent Purity and Breakdown Seed Laboratory Supervisor within the Commodity Inspection Services Division. This position is located in Yakima, Washington and is not a union represented. The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary for this position is: $63,252 – $84,984 annually.
Qualifications
Include, but are not limited to:
- Plan, schedule, assign and review the daily work of staff, adjusting assignments and schedule to maintain adequate staffing levels including responding to fluctuating workloads.
- Conduct quality control on samples performed by direct reports.
- Evaluate employee performance levels and assess training needs, coaching, and mentoring of staff and assign qualified trainers.
- Provide information and instruction on changes that occur in the marketplace.
- Evaluate trainee progress by interviewing trainee and trainer, and using knowledge assessments and tests.
- Serve as a liaison between lab staff and management to ensure lab procedures are followed.
- Exercise technical and administrative supervision over all laboratory staff within Viability and filing .
- Review, audit and approve staff’s daily timesheets and TEMS vouchers for accuracy and completeness.
- Oversee samples that are being checked in and processed according to receipt and special services such as rush, super rush, service samples and customized stakeholder requests.
- Verify that procedures are being followed, ISO 9001:2015, USDA ASL, AOSA, ISTA, Canadian, Phytosanitary, safety, and any other specialized procedures or stakeholder requests.
- Review and vote on AOSA Rules Proposals that may impact Washington State seed industry.
- Participate in leadership and all staff meetings.
- Perform the work of a lower-level laboratory positions and fulfill the needs of lower-level task when needed.
- Assist with additional laboratory data entry in Pure Harvest in the absence of office staff.
- Apply certification standards according to Chapter 16-301 and 16-302 WAC, Canadian Seed Testing, International Seed Testing Association or other certification standards and stakeholders’ requests.
- Enter and retrieve data from a specialized Seed Laboratory testing programs
- Review and sign completed laboratory reports before released to the stakeholder
- Provide RST seal and signature on final reports when requested.
- Collaborate with ISO coordinator in preparation for annual ISO and ASL audit.
- Create and maintain SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) and flow charts.
- Work with staff on corrective action reports and continuous improvements.
- Evaluate suppliers and supplies once received according to ISO and USDA ASL.
- Ensure proper Viability supplies are obtained and used according to testing standards.
- Oversee annual purging of stored samples.
Qualifications
Seven (7) years of related laboratory experience including three years at a level equivalent to a Laboratory Technician 1 or higher. College education involving major study in laboratory science related to agriculture may be substituted year for year for the required general experience.
Single or joint certification in good standing with AOSA as a CSA, Certified Seed Analyst. With SCST, RST, Registered Seed Technologist in good standing, being certified in Viability testing.
Current with all continued education requirements for membership with the associations.
Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
One (1) or more years’ experience related to Agriculture seed production/testing, Pacific Northwest grass, reclamation and crop productions and seed testing.
ACO Authorized Certification Official with USDA PCIT
ASL Canadian Seed Grader
Supplemental Information
Employee Benefits
- A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
- WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
- 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
- All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.
- Commute Trip Reduction Program.
For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.
How to apply:
You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:
· Current resume detailing experience and education
· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position.
· Three professional references
By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. Applications with comments “see attachments” will be considered incomplete.
If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com. The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state’s on-line recruitment system.