Agricultural Specialist

Agricultural Specialist

Health Benefits: 100% employer contribution towards employee and family premiums

Community: World-famous attractions

District: Award-winning schools

BASIC FUNCTION

Under the direction of an assigned supervisor, performs a variety of specialized and technical duties to support the District's agriculturally oriented instructional initiatives, such as the Magnolia Agriscience Community Center (MACC); selects, plants, irrigates, cultivates and harvests crops; plans, implements, and records crop planting and harvesting schedules; operates and maintains assigned agricultural equipment; performs varied public contact work; and performs related duties as assigned.

Please note that the funding for this position is only guaranteed through approximately June 30, 2025 fiscal year.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of experience, education and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical combination would be the following:

EDUCATION:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. A Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering or related is desirable.

EXPERIENCE:

Two (2) years of experience in the routine and technical care of a regenerative farm, including increasingly responsible agricultural maintenance experience in the following areas: agricultural production, orchard management, farm equipment restoration, soil science, and irrigation. School-based regenerative farming experience is strongly preferred.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Possession of a valid, appropriate California driver's license at time of appointment, and throughout employment in a position in this classification.
• Proof of current California auto liability insurance at time of appointment, and throughout employment in a position in this classification.
• Personal transportation for job-related travel throughout the District.
• Possession of or ability to obtain within twelve months, an appropriate, valid pesticide applicators certificate of the type necessary to perform responsibilities of position.
• The ability to speak, read, and write fluently in Spanish is required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF (Typically learned through formal training or education):

• Standard practices and applications used in agriculture.
• Principles and practices of organic horticulture, horticultural maintenance, organic farming methods, soil health, water conservation, integrated pest management, and farm carpentry.
• Methods and techniques of fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide application.
• Methods and techniques of greenhouse construction.
• Regenerative and sustainable land management practices.
• Plant biology, ecology, and basic chemistry.
• Pest, insect, microorganisms, and disease life cycles.
• Proper rotational planting techniques.
• Operational characteristics of a variety of agricultural equipment, modern irrigation, and related equipment.
• Relevant Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations.
• Irrigation system scheduling.
• Basic math.

SKILL TO (Typically attained through formal training or practice):

• Select the appropriate tool(s) and/or equipment for each task given the type of crop, soil, weather conditions, project, and time available.
• Create, merge and manipulate spreadsheets.
• Safely and effectively operate and maintain a wide range of hand tools, power tools, vehicles, and equipment.
• Stay organized and follow plans
• Prioritize critical tasks
• Safely and effectively apply fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides according to established policies and procedures.
• Perform basic mathematical computations.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Effectively instruct and interpret information to diverse populations.

ABILITY TO (Typically a personal quality attained without formal training, education, or practice):

• Maintain physical strength and perform manual labor.
• Work independently outside, under adverse weather conditions, and for extended hours; perform repetitive motions, such as bending, lifting, pushing, and carrying while completing maintenance tasks.
• Handle multiple tasks on an ongoing basis.
• Follow written and oral instructions.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Maintain a clean, organized and efficient workspace.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work at all levels, including a culturally diverse general public, with a focus on quality service to internal staff and external customers.
• Work in a focused, timely, and efficient manner.
• Take initiative and personal responsibility.
• Work variable hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed.
• Stay within the designated budget when ordering supplies.
• Collaborate and make decisions with a diverse group of teammates.
• Maintain a positive, professional, team player attitude.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate equipment.
• Bending at the waist, kneeling, stooping or crouching.
• Walking over rough and uneven surfaces.
• Standing for extended periods of time.
• Reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally.
• Digging.
• Lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling heavy objects weighing up 50 pounds without assistance.
• Heavy physical labor.
• Seeing to perform work.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Outdoor work environment.
• Seasonal heat and cold or adverse weather conditions.
• Exposure to fumes, dust, odors, oil/grease, gasses.
• Driving a vehicle to conduct work.

HAZARDS

• Working around and with machinery having moving parts.
• Exposure to chemicals and fumes.

SPECIALIZED ESSENTIAL DUTIES (Typically only performed in this classification):

• Prepares soil, plants, seeds, prunes, weeds, irrigates, and harvests crops; maintains farm, greenhouse, and nursery crops; grows, cultivates, and prepares produce for sale and distribution.
• Determines type, variety, and amount of acreage for planting, field locations, and crop rotations.
• Selects and cycles crops such as peas, pumpkins, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, etc., based on timing and/or variety to meet the needs of the District.
• Documents crop and field information, such as production rates, rotation schedules, soil analysis results.
• Develops site specific fruits, vegetables and floral varieties that are able to thrive in the bioregion.
• Applies specialized food grade and farm focused herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides to assigned crops according to established policies, procedures and seasons; implements organic integrated pest management (IPM) practices, such as compost tea spraying, organic fertilizing, organic pesticides, etc.
• Operates a variety of agricultural equipment, such as shovels, rakes, pitchforks, seeders, tithers, walk-behind tractors, etc.; adjusts, cleans, maintains and performs routine repairs to assigned equipment; reports major repair needs or arranges for repairs as needed.
• Designs and implements production schedules for planting and harvesting crops; measures and records crop production and harvesting amounts using digital spreadsheets.
• Provides work guidance to student workers, interns, volunteers, and apprentices; assigns and reviews work; provides educational demonstrations for the purpose of experiential learning.
• Participates in planning, set up, and delivery of special events related to agricultural programs; interacts as needed with outside vendors and community members.
• Assists with setting up and taking down farmer's market equipment, including signs, tables, canopies, and market information; assists in completing market day reports and distributing load lists; provides additional assistance with the running of the market as necessary; assists with market special events and may assist with pre-planning of such events.

GENERAL ESSENTIAL DUTIES (Also performed in other classifications):

• Orders, receives, and stores supplies, materials and equipment; maintains inventories and assures adequate stock levels;