Cherry Inspector- Yakima

Apply early! The hiring manager will review applications on an ongoing basis until all positions have been filled. We are hiring seventy‑six (76) non‑permanent on‑call positions in Yakima, Washington.

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 agency includes approximately 780 employees and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. For more information and additional openings, visit the Employment Page.

The Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program is one half of the Commodity Inspection Division and provides accurate and unbiased inspection services to the fresh produce and processing industry to ensure orderly marketing of fruits and vegetables. Commodities are inspected for quality, size, labeling, condition, and contract specifications and may be certified as free from disease and insects as required by domestic and international markets.

As a Cherry Inspector you will be expected to produce accurate and quality work in a fast‑paced work environment. Your attention to detail and ability to learn quickly will be put to great use as you inspect and certify fresh cherries at shipping points for domestic and foreign markets. These positions identify symptoms of pest and diseases for phytosanitary inspections and issue federal/state documents for the export of fresh cherries.

Applicants must be 18 years old. No previous experience is required, but we do require some flexibility with your schedule and reliable means of transportation. These positions require regular, reliable work attendance, as well as the ability to work in industrial and agricultural settings. Through our on‑the‑job training, you will earn a Federal Commodity license (USDA‑AMS SC200).

• Perform inspections in designated area.
• Interpret and apply grade standards while performing inspection procedures for fresh cherries.
• Follow established sample procedures for the determined product grade when pulling and obtaining samples.
• Read, interpret, comprehend and follow instructions and methodology in policies, procedures, directives, notices, rules and regulations relating to the position and industry.
• Identify and document cherry defects such as off color, skin breaks, bruising, sutures, decay and rain cracks.
• Ensure packed cherries meet row size requirements, by using assigned size rings.
• Record detailed accurate inspections information such as sample data into F&V’s FA2LT inspection system or appropriate paper documents.
• Interpret country work plan inspection requirements to determine if product meets requirements.
• Ensure shipping carton markings are accurate.
• Enforce state and federal fruit and vegetable laws and regulations.
• Reject inspection lots when product is out of grade tolerance.
• Issue off grade/condition reports for non‑compliance of commodities that do not meet Federal/State regulations and follow proper procedures to ensure the product has the proper disposition.
• Communicate product grade to warehouse to allow for corrective action if necessary.
• Issue federal‑state certificates, shipping documents and other clearance documents for domestic and foreign destinations and FV294 documents.
• Perform inspections in designated area.
• Obtain a sample from each cherry shipment brought to the packing facilities from the growing field for crushing.
• Crush cherries to expose pit and submerge cherries in sugar solutions.
• Identify and collect any larva in crushing sample, adhere to protocol if larva is found.
• Communicate findings with supervisor and warehouse foreman.
• Instruct warehouse to place fruit into quarantine as needed.
• Utilize refractometer to create brown sugar and water solution.
• Monitor soluble solids level in light sweet cherry varieties.
• Inform warehouse of pull rates…