Forest Pest Spongy Moth; Lymantria dispar Surveyor - Agricultural Technician

Overview

Working Title:
Forest Pest [Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Surveyor]

Job Class:
Agricultural Technician

Agency:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Job : 91599

• Location :
  St. Paul;
  Various;
  Minnesota Northeast Area;
  Minnesota Central Area;
  Minnesota Southeast Area;
  Statewide

• Telework/Remote Work Eligible :
  Yes

• Full/Part Time :
  Intermittent (full time work during trap placement and removal w/unpaid leave in between; more details are in the Job Summary)

• Regular/Temporary :
  Temporary

• Who May Apply :
  This vacancy is open to all qualified job seekers.

• Date Posted : 01/30/2026

• Closing Date : 03/02/2026

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit :
  Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Division/Unit :
  Plant Protection Division / Plant Pest Mitigation & Regulatory Response Section / Spongy Moth Unit

• Work Shift/Work Hours :
  Day Shift / 7:00am - 5:30pm

• Days of Work :
  Monday - Thursday

• Travel Required :
  Yes - travel daily within route, return to home office daily

• Salary Range: $20.51 / hour

• Classified Status :
  Classified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 218 - Non-Represented Employee's Compensation Plan

• Start Date
  :
  Southern Region: 05/26/2026;
  Northern Region: 06/09/2026

• Anticipated End Date :
  Southern Region: 09/01/2026;
  Northern Region: 10/08/2026

• FLSA Status :
  Nonexempt

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities :
  No

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

This announcement will be used to fill approximately 20 Forest Pest Surveyor positions for the MDA’s annual Spongy Moth Trapping Survey. Spongy Moth ( Lymantria dispar ) is a human nuisance and a serious threat to Minnesota’s forests and urban trees and shrubs. Once established, the caterpillars cause costly and extensive defoliation damage during outbreaks. The trapping survey will allow us to detect and monitor for the pest early on, identify potential problem areas, and provide data necessary to make future management decisions to slow the spread of this invasive insect into the State of Minnesota.

Job duties include assembling, placing, inspecting and removing up to 800 cardboard detection traps. Surveyors will each be assigned a route that is reasonably accessible from their home office location (where they live). Surveyors collect data using a GPS-enabled tablet (training provided) and report daily to a lead worker.

A reliable vehicle is necessary for driving survey routes. Mileage is reimbursed at the current Federal mileage reimbursement rate. Surveyors in select routes may instead be issued a rental or State fleet vehicle to complete all survey work for the season.

Please include your FULL PHYSICAL ADDRESS in your application. Check to see that your profile address is current and correct. If submitting a resume that has a different address than your profile has, please indicate which location you would like to be considered for. Your location(s) will be geocoded to see which route you are located in or within reasonable proximity to.

The majority of the positions filled will be designated as remote worker positions which is defined as, an employee who, as a condition of their appointment, has their home or alternative location as the assigned work location, works permanently from that location, and does not have an agency permanent/principal work location. Currently the MDA does not allow remote work locations outside of the State of Minnesota.

However, applicants in WI or IA that are located relatively close to the MN survey project area will be considered. For more information refer to HR/LR Policy #1447 Remote Worker Policy: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-

These are “intermittent” positions, which means survey staff work when we need them to.

• We need survey staff working fulltime during the trap placement and trap removal periods (time frames listed below).

• There will be unpaid leave between…