Agricultural Technician ; Seasonal

Overview

Job Posting:
Agricultural Technician I - Lab/Greenhouse (Seasonal) – Department of Food & Agriculture. Salary: $18.30 – $21.87 per hour. New to State candidates will be hired at the classification minimum.

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Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist with guidance from the Senior Plant Pathologist or lead Environmental Scientist, the Agricultural Technician I is responsible for processing plant samples, strawberry indexing/testing, grafting plant samples, and assisting in conducting ELISA testing.

• Graft plant samples to indicator plants to test for virus diseases and assist lead Environmental Scientist in identifying diseased greenhouse plants and processing them.
• Maintain plant identification and quality control by sorting participants’ plants into trays for testing, labeling with block number, plant number and date, and comparing plants that arrive for testing against paperwork to ensure correct identity and ownership.

• Prepare samples for testing by cutting plant sample tissue with razor blades or scalpels into small pieces.
• Grind the small tissue pieces in a ball‑mill grinder/homogenizer with buffer.
• Transfer ground plant extracts into 2 ml cube tubes with pipettes.
• Deliver loaded cubes in proper arrangement to Serological Laboratory for ELISA testing using a State vehicle.
• Maintain the identity of plants throughout testing process.

• Sanitize equipment and workstation before and after hand.
• Wash and dry equipment accordingly.
• Prepare sample bags with labels for field collection.

Candidates may perform these essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Position is performed indoors approximately 100 % of the time in a laboratory building with standard lab equipment. Noise level is high when the steel‑ball tissue homogenizer is in use.

Minimum requirements are listed in the Class Specification.

Job Code: JC‑508987
Positions: 1

Work Location:

Sacramento County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type: Non‑Tenured, Intermittent
Classification:
Agricultural Technician I (Seasonal)

The Pest Exclusion Branch, Nursery, Seed, and Cotton Program (NS&C) enforces laws and regulations that ensure quality plant products, protect California’s environment, and prevent the spread of agricultural pests.

Completed applications and required documents must be received or postmarked by 3/10/2026.

Anyone meeting the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification may apply. Applicants in specific programs, such as the Welfare to Work Program, are encouraged to apply and will receive priority.

Submit the Application Package electronically through Cal Career or in hard copy as listed below. Hard copy applications must include JC‑508987.

Department of Food & Agriculture
Attn:
Human Resource Branch JC‑508987
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814

Department of Food & Agriculture
Human Resource Branch JC‑508987
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814

Working Hours:

08:00 AM – 05:00 PM

• State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (if not applying electronically) or the electronic form.
• Resume is optional.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR and CalPERS websites.

Hiring Unit Contact:
Erica Pearson
(916) 594‑5176

Office of Civil Rights
(916) 654‑1005

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability, etc.