Agricultural Aide

Overview

Salary: $18.00 - $23.14 Hourly

Location : Benton County - Prosser, WA

Job Type: Full Time - Non-Permanent

Job Number:

Department: Dept. of Agriculture

Division: Plant Protection - Plant Services

Opening Date: 05/13/2026

Closing Date: 5/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities - from ensuring food safety to environmental protection - touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The Plant Protection Division is hiring five (5) non-permanent Agricultural Aides in the Plant Services Program. The Plant Protection Division supports the agriculture industry and protects the environment and consumers by protecting agriculture and the environment from insect, weed, and pathogen pests, supporting pollinator and soil health, and testing for proper weights and measures and pesticide use. The Plant Services Program ensures environmental, consumer, and stakeholder protection by independently conducting accurate and reliable inspections, testing, and certification of raw plant products and serves on the front line of defense against the introduction and spread of exotic plant pests and diseases.

Through regulatory enforcement, export certification and planting stock certification programs, Plant Services ensures a consistent source of value-added agricultural products are available to our trading partners in domestic and foreign markets. The activity of this position contributes to the export of agricultural goods from Washington State in excess of $1 Billion annually.

The Opportunity:

The Agricultural Aide positions are key to the success of this program. By conducting green house and field virus index testing and maintaining equipment and facilities, Ag Aides complete the peak season work of the Fruit Tree Certification Project.

Some of the various responsibilities within this role include:

• Aid in field and greenhouse work by planting, grafting and inoculating woody plants for virus indexing, and maintenance of plants in the field and green house and in laboratory preparation of samples for testing.
• Grafting and inoculation of plants in the field and greenhouse.
• Plant material sorting and sampling in preparation for lab testing.
• Using a state agency vehicle to transport samples to the lab for testing

Required Qualifications:

• Driver's License.

Preferred/Desired:

• Three (3) or more months of experience as an Agricultural Aide with the WSDA Fruit Tree Certification Lab.

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave;  for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at  or email. The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.

WSDA uses a I-9 form to determine Employment Eligibility and Verification, once hired. This document is the authorization of an individual's ability to be hired for employment within the United States. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning,…