Pest Abatement Assistant

Job Title

This part-time seasonal position operates application equipment to apply pesticides in the treatment of grasshoppers and crickets; is responsible for the calibration of and light maintenance for all application equipment.

This position works under the direction of the Natural Resources Director, who assigns the work orally or through work orders, gives advice on unusual problems, and checks to see that completed work meets requirements.

Essential Functions

• Identifies pests and measures density in accordance with government guidelines.
• Completes work orders by mixing, applying and recording pesticide applications in accordance with work orders and applicable laws.
• Reviews all chemical labels and SDS sheets for each products in use before application, and complies with all warnings and instructions including clothing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
• Operates application equipment (e.g., four wheelers, four-wheel drive and one-ton trucks, application delivery systems, distributes biological controls, etc.).
• Calibrates or is responsible for the calibration of all equipment and for the mixing and application of pesticides.
• Performs routine maintenance of all application equipment and vehicles.
• Properly disposes of empty chemical containers and materials.
• Ensures that the facility remains professional and clean.
• Uses and maintains all safety equipment recommended by product labels.
• Assists with major maintenance of application equipment and vehicles.
• Performs related duties as required or assigned.

Education and Experience

Any functional equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Must posses and maintain a valid Nevada driver's license.

• Must successfully complete a background investigation and a criminal history check.
• Must successfully complete the Nevada Pesticide Applicator Certification and Training, if required.
• This position has been identified as safety-sensitive and must comply with County drug and alcohol policy.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's)

An employee in this position must have the following knowledge, skills abilities upon application:

Knowledge of:

• Agricultural herbicide applications and law and safety.
• Basic math in order to make simple computations.
• Pests and crops grown in Elko County and the appropriate pesticides that can effectively be used.

Skills in:

• The safe operation of application equipment; mixing the correct herbicides; and the determination of the proper conditions for application of the herbicides.

Ability to:

• Work and communicate effectively with the general public and co-workers, in person, over the telephone or by two-way radio; understand and follow complex oral and written instructions; read and understand herbicides SDS sheet and labels; maintain harmonious working relationships with other employees; read and understand maps; recognize and identify Mormon crickets and grasshoppers; and distinguish most agriculture crops in Elko County.
• Carry out assignments with minimal supervision.
• Perform all work duties and activities in accordance with County and Office policies, procedures, and safety practices.
• Drive vehicles with manual transmission. May be required to pull and back trailers.
• Clearly communicate both orally and in writing.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

An employee in this position must meet the following physical requirements upon application:

• Must have sufficient clarity of speech and hearing which permits the employee to discern verbal instructions and to communicate effectively on the telephone and in person.
• Must occasionally lift heavy objects, must negotiate fences, hazardous or steep terrain with rough, rocky and/or wet surfaces. At times the employee may be exposed to dogs and/or farm animals, livestock, snakes, and biting and stinging insects.
• Must have sufficient visual acuity which permits the employee to recognize and distinguish between types of vegetation, and to comprehend written work instructions, prepare and review documents and process them in a prescribed order, and organize documents and materials.
• Must have sufficient manual dexterity which permits the employee to operate a personal computer, standard hand tools, and standard office equipment.
• Must have and maintain sufficient physical fitness, mobility, flexibility, agility and balance to be able to traverse for ½ (one half) mile at a time over uneven and steep terrain in the outdoors in weather that is up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Must be able to operate application equipment and get on and off the application equipment as frequently as required in the course of spraying. Must be able to transport and move equipment, bags, boxes, barrels, jugs, and application material weighing up to 50 pounds from ground-level to a height of 3-4 feet in order to load into one-ton pickup truck.
• Must be able to move about inside an office setting to access file cabinets, office machinery, and to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Must be able to work in an office environment and remain in a stationary position for most of each workday.