Agriculture Marketing and Inspection Representative 1

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Agriculture (DoAg), is currently accepting applications for an Agriculture Marketing & Inspection Representative 1 (AMIR 1), to support its Produce Safety program.This position may also support other programs in the future.

What We Can Offer You:

• Visit our newState Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

Position Highlights:

• Full time, 40 hours per week
• Monday through Friday 
• Location: 450 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, CT
• Hybrid telework schedules available (combination of in office and remote work).

The Role:

The AMIR 1 position will be responsible for program outreach and inspections of agricultural businesses for compliance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Additional duties include but not limited to:

• Inspections of produce farms
• Interpreting and communicating state and federal laws and regulations
• Compiling necessary reports for state and federal stakeholders
• Attending outreach events to promote programs
• Aiding UCONN extension in outreach and training

Our Mission: The mission of the Department of Agriculture is to foster a healthy economic, environmental and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage and its contribution to the state's economy.

View the video below to learn what it's like to be a state employee.

Selection Plan

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
To Apply:

• In order to be considered for this job opening you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited.  If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the individual listed on this job posting. 
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.  

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

• Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Important Information After You Apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview. 
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class in the next twelve (12) months.
• Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

Connect With Us:
Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Sharon McIntosh, at Sharon.McIntosh@ct.gov.

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PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Agriculture, this class isaccountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in thedevelopment and inspection of agricultural businesses, production andprocessing plants and retail facilities for compliance with local, state andfederal laws and regulations.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

MARKETING PROGRAMS:

• Promotes and develops domestic and international markets for agricultural products;
• Conducts seminars to assist in development of agricultural businesses and products;
• Makes presentations to public and private groups regarding agricultural programs or issues;
• Conducts surveys and market research;
• Develops and disseminates technical information to promote development of agricultural businesses, land development and conservation within state;
• Gathers information and prepares reports;
• May conduct or coordinate special marketing projects;
• Performs related duties as required.

INSPECTION PROGRAMS:

• Inspects dairy farms, processing plants, livestock and poultry farms, feed and fertilizer plants, storage facilities, stores and seed packers for compliance with state and federal laws and regulations;
• Collects samples for testing, conducts tests and interprets results in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations;
• Checks permits, licenses and interstate health charts;
• Observes sampling techniques;
• Gathers and records information and writes reports;
• Responds to related complaints from general public;
• May inspect dairy products at schools;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • production, marketing, research development or processing of agricultural businesses or commodities;
  • wholesale and retail marketing practices;
  • business development and promotional techniques and strategies;
  • relevant local, state and federal laws and regulations;
  • state and federal legislative process;
  • plant and animal disease control methods and procedures;
  • inspection and investigation methods and techniques;
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Five (5) years of experience in the marketing,research, development, production or inspection of agricultural commodities orbusinesses.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training in agriculture or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience utilizing the practices for growing and processing for agricultural businesses or commodities
• Experience performing inspections and investigations
• Experience reviewing local, state, and federal laws and regulations
• Experience writing investigation reports
• Experience communicating with internal and external stakeholders
• Experience utilizing computer software including Microsoft Office Suite and cloud-based services

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to liftheavy objects; may be exposed to moderately disagreeable conditions; may beexposed to some risk of injury from animals.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group ofpositions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a singletitle for administrative purposes.  Assuch, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/orresponsibility.