Environmental Specialist

Contact

Ethan Andrews, Phone

An associate degree from an accredited college or university;
or six (6) months of experience in apiculture, environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; agriculture; or engineering.

Requires possession of a valid driver license.

Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign‑trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an approved credential evaluation agency.

A list of approved agencies can be viewed at “Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education.” Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org)

Must obtain fruit fly certification within six months of appointment and maintain it throughout employment in this position.

This position has regulatory responsibilities and is subject to the provisions of Section 60L‑36.003, Florida Career Service Rules and Regulations.

Moderate travel, including overnight and sometimes up to two weeks at a time on an emergency program, is required.

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Successful candidate must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

GENERAL STATEMENT:
This is a technical position assigned to conduct citrus survey, regulatory, and protocol trapping activities for the Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control.

• Perform citrus tree grove surveys for the presence of citrus disease symptoms. Responsible for the collection of plant materials as samples to be sent to pathology lab for identification and for inputting survey and sample information into the correct databases.
• Identify new commercial citrus plantings and verify accuracy of geographical and ownership data related to all citrus acreage in assigned areas, including mapping or removal of multi‑blocks in the database and collecting required information needed to accurately create or update the multi‑block information (number of citrus trees, scion, rootstock, tree and row spacing).
• Serve as a Regulatory Inspector performing necessary inspections to monitor fruit movement from commercial citrus groves to packinghouses and processing plants for compliance with the current CHRP regulations. Prepare and maintain records of regulatory activities, including monitoring and tracking fruit trailers at regional processing and packinghouses. Certify and inspect dumpsites for compliance with permitting. Submit reports as required by supervisory chain of command.
  
  Attend regulatory meetings and program training sessions as required.
• Investigate and resolve complaints and problems that arise in the assigned area. Communicate program goals, regulations and objectives to growers, grower groups, and the public as necessary. Maintain communication between other CHRP program areas. Travel outside of assigned work area as needed when requested by Bureau Chief.
• Perform fruit fly trapping using both McPhail and Jackson traps as needed.
• Assist in all phases of an emergency or special program, which includes but is not limited to the survey, sampling and delimiting of areas where programs are being implemented by the Department for plant pests and diseases.
• Perform other related work as directed by management.

• Knowledge of citrus and citrus pest issues.
• Knowledge of field symptoms of citrus canker, citrus greening and other citrus diseases.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and…