Seed Analyst In-Training

AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

Apply early! First review of applications is scheduled for June 23rd! To be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before June 22nd, 2026.

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 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Opportunity:

The WSDA Seed Program provides accurate, timely and high-quality seed analysis and certification services while continually striving for improvements in methods and technologies to assure success for the program and its seed industry stakeholders. WSDA Seed Program is a unit within the Commodity Inspection Division that conducts pre-harvest seed field inspections and laboratory seed testing of agricultural, vegetable, native plants, rangeland grasses and flower seeds grown under the certification and phytosanitary programs.

The program is responsible for seed certification, seed testing, phytosanitary visual seed inspection, seed inspection and official seed sampling as well as the program is the state seed regulatory agent. Additionally, the program monitors two seed quarantines to assist producers to replicate disease and pest free commodities.  

WSDA Seed Program provides accredited laboratory services for state seed regulatory needs, seed certification tagging, and common seed labeling. Seed viability is a required label component for The Federal Seed Act and state labeling laws. This position works in the viability area of the lab and supports the laboratory Supervisor. With little assistance, performs technical laboratory work and research, performing routine and advanced laboratory testing.

The position may oversee the work of others who are in-training and participate in the training process for new employees.

This position receives assignments from the area lead or supervisor daily to complete activities. This position can make limited decisions regarding test results, certification, and phytosanitary requirements according to the type of test being conducted and the level of expertise and knowledge they have demonstrated through experience and certification of the technician. This position shall be able to make the quality decisions of Lab Assistant 1 and Laboratory Technician 1.

Important Notes

This is an in-training opportunity and may be hired as a Laboratory Technician 1 or a Laboratory Technician 2 depending on qualifications.

What is an in-training plan? The in-training is intended to provide an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal "in-training" plan. Upon successful completion of an in-training program, the incumbent will move up to the next job classification that is listed on the in-training plan if applicable.

If hired at the Laboratory Technician 1 level, the incumbent will be required to successfully complete the training plan to reach the goal class of Laboratory Technician 2. The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Based on qualifications the monthly salary range:

If hired as a Laboratory Technician 1 - In-Training:

Range 44, Step A $47,100 - Step L $61,644

If hired as a Laboratory Technician 2:

Range 47, Step A $50,592 - Step L $66,372

What to Expect

Some of the various responsibilities within this role:

Conduct laboratory purity or germination testing. Apply certification standards according to Chapter 16-301 and 16-302 WAC, Canadian Seed Testing, International Seed Testing Association, or other certification standards and customer requests.

* Provide interpretation of regulations specific to the program daily operation.

* Perform technical laboratory work and research, routine, and advanced laboratory testing.

* Use and verify calibration of laboratory equipment.

* Conduct testing to produce quality results for certification, labeling, and marketing seed.

* Enter and retrieve data from a Specialized Seed Laboratory testing Program database.

* Review and/or sign completed laboratory reports before they are released to stakeholders.

* Identify, classify, and calculate quantities of contaminates, and/or abnormalities found in submitted.

* Identify seedling abnormalities which are most commonly dead and abnormal seedlings.

* Conduct testing according to AOSA/SCST, USDA, Washington, Canadian, International standards and special testing requests.

* Maintain…