Agricultural Environmental Specialist 1-3

Ready to make a meaningful impact on Louisiana’s workforce and organizational culture? Join the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry as an Agricultural Environmental Specialist! This position serves in the Office of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This posting is for 2 vacancies, Pesticides and Seed Division, serving Opelousas and the surrounding areas.

The position performs complex and advanced-level duties for the Office of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences within the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry and entails responsibility and professional agricultural inspection and enforcement work in a variety of technically specialized and professional regulatory programs, including but not limited to pesticide, horticulture and quarantine, seed, industrial hemp, agricultural chemistry programs, and structural pest control.

Grow your career with opportunities in leadership, professional development, and specialized advancement opportunities.

• Contribute to a mission-driven organization that serves communities across Louisiana
• Enjoy competitive pay and excellent benefits
• Be part of a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive team

LDAF cares about the well-being of its employees! We offer a fully employer-funded Employee Assistance Program (EAP), providing valuable support and resources to help you and your household members thrive at work and  EAP is also free for all members of your household.

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.
• Thinking Critically: The ability to analyze information objectively, identify connections across sources, and form logical, well-supported conclusions.

• Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
• Demonstrating Initiative: The ability to assess situations independently and take proactive steps to address them without being prompted or instructed by others.
• Displaying Expertise: The ability to demonstrate specialized knowledge, skills, and experience to apply subject‑matter expertise in diverse and evolving contexts.
• Driving Results: The ability to set and pursue goals, maintain focus amid competing demands, and deliver results.
• Managing Projects: The ability to plan, implement, and close out project initiatives by coordinating people, resources, and timelines to achieve defined outcomes.

Three years of experience in agriculture, chemistry, natural resource management, structural pest control, or inspection or enforcement for compliance with agricultural, environmental, or public health laws, rules or regulations; OR a bachelor’s degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental science, or engineering field.

• Evaluates and compiles data and other facts related to inspections within the above-described functional areas into comprehensive technical reports through the use of established regulatory criteria, policies, and procedures.
• Ensures consumer products meet applicable quality standards through routine sampling in all of the functional areas such as: disease/insect/weed free; quality seed germination; industrial hemp THC concentration; product label guarantees; quality plant installation and maintenance; pesticide treatments that provide protection of human health, homes and crops; quality feed for livestock and pets; quality agricultural lime; assists in preventing introduction of noxious weeds, insects and diseases;
  
  etc.
• Conducts field inspections on various crops, samples seed in bulk and containers, records inspection and seed processor facility inspections for seed certification.
• Conducts inspections and/or investigations related to pesticide producers, distributors, dealers or aerial or ground pesticide applicators ensuring they are complying with licensing/certification,…