Agricultural Technician Iii; Seasonal

Job Title

Agricultural Technician III (Seasonal)

$20.54 - $23.36 per Hour

Department of Food & Agriculture

JC-504967

3/9/2026

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Under direction of the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) (SESS), the incumbent will independently perform the most complex range of field and office support duties for various fruit fly delimitation programs, maintain fruit fly trapping routes, coordinate the application of pesticides, maintain pesticide inventory and vehicle fleet, oversee pesticide applications performed by outside vendors, perform plane inspections for Japanese beetle, fruit removal and tree removal, communicate with the public at educational public meetings, coordinate with other agencies, and perform various insect/disease surveys for targeted pests.

These activities include working independently and in cooperation with other staff, overseeing treatment activities, preparing written reports, performing quality control inspections for treatment-survey-trapping programs, training new seasonal employees, and acting as the back‑up trapper/applicator. The incumbent must be able to establish working relationships with those contacted during work using tact and interpersonal skills; cooperate with other staff members and leads in completing assigned work, communicating effectively verbally and in writing;

work well under pressure while completing assigned work and meeting required deadlines.

• Safely operate and maintain State vehicles daily for travel to designated work areas locally and throughout the state.
• Perform the most complex range of field office support duties, deploy and service traps, perform visual surveys, or apply control measures for target pests such as, but not limited to, various fruit flies, Japanese beetle, European grapevine moth, and spongy moth.
• Plan, organize and maintain daily trapping routes, visual surveys, or treatment programs and monitor outside vendors to ensure compliance with Department policies and procedures, and State laws, rules, and regulations; enforce and implement new procedures or processes with seasonal employees when necessary.
• Assemble equipment and mix chemicals using the appropriate protocols; assure that the Department is in compliance with all pesticide rules and regulations.

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

The duties of this position are primarily conducted outdoors. The incumbent works in extreme weather and temperature conditions, encounters alternating bright sunlight and dark shade, and experiences varying noise levels. Terrain ranges from smooth and stable to irregular and unstable. The incumbent may experience regular exposure to dust, pollen, and moisture. Some trap types use a specific chemical insect lure; some of these lures may contain small amounts of pesticide.

The work area can be urban or rural. The incumbent may drive, exit and re‑enter the work vehicle numerous times during the workday. A full list of working conditions can be found in the Duty Statement.

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN III (SEASONAL)
• AGRICULTURAL AIDE (SEASONAL)
• AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN I (SEASONAL)
• AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN II (SEASONAL)

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

• Job Code #:
  JC-504967
• Position #(s): -982
• Working Title:
  
  Agricultural Technician III (Seasonal)
• Classification:
  AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN III (SEASONAL)
• Pay Range: $20.54 - $23.36
• Shall Consider:
  AGRICULTURAL AIDE (SEASONAL) $18.26 - $20.22
• AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN I (SEASONAL) $18.30 - $21.87
• AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN II (SEASONAL) $19.02 - $22.69
• # of Positions: 5
• Work Location:
  
  Santa Barbara County
• Telework:
  In Office
• Job Type:
  Non‑Tenured, Intermittent

The Pest Detection/Emergency Projects Branch is responsible for the early detection and prompt eradication of serious exotic agricultural pests. The Branch accomplishes its mission by conducting a statewide trapping program, staffed by county and state inspectors, for exotic insect pests; by implementing special surveys for significant agricultural pests and plant diseases for which traps are not available; and by providing emergency eradication services using the best available technology.

The primary objective of the emergency project component is to quickly and efficiently eradicate incipient infestations of serious agricultural pests, thereby preventing permanent establishment and subsequent spread in California.

• The position(s) require(s) a valid California Drivers License (CDL). You must answer the questions addressing your CDL on your application. Ensure you provide your CDL number, class, expiration date, and any endorsements and/or restrictions.