Requisition No: 868990 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION SPEC - 42002742

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42002742 

Salary:  $40,000.22 - $44,000.32 

Posting Closing Date: 02/02/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION SPECIALIST

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

DIVISION OF PLANT INDUSTRY

OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY

CONTACT:              

George Miller, Jr., Phone (352) 681-0318

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent. 

Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.

ATTENTION CANDIDATES

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.
  
  

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Occasional travel, including overnight and sometimes up to two weeks at a time on an emergency program, is required.

Must obtain restricted-use pesticide license within six months of initial employment and maintain licensure thereafter.

Will be subject to the requirements of the proper use of appropriate respirator and/or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and must pass post-employment physical examinations to determine medical fitness for respirator and/or SCBA use.

NOTES:

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

JOB DUTIES:

GENERAL STATEMENT:  This is a professional position assigned to perform inspection and cultural work related to the Chiefland citrus foundation facility in the statewide Citrus Budwood Registration program.

Maintains virus-tested trees in the budwood foundation greenhouses and seed source block, including:

1. Planting and removal of citrus trees.
2. Applying sprays and fertilizers for insect and disease control and plant nutrition.
3. Cultivate, mow, or apply herbicides to greenhouse, seed block, and landscape areas.
4. Prune, weed and water citrus trees.
5. Maintains landscape and lawn areas of the Chiefland facility property.
6. Participates in cutting budwood from foundation greenhouse trees, keeping individual tree identity and filling out all paperwork required for distribution.
7. Participates in fruit harvest and the seed extraction process in the seed source block.
8. Keeps accurate records of all tree plantings, removals, and chemical applications.
9. Inputs, verifies and reconciles electronic data with visual inspection of each source tree.  Ensures data is up-to-date, and reflects true-to-type, harvesting records, location, and all relevant inspection data for each source tree.
   
   

Inspects foundation citrus trees for the presence or absence of diseases of regulatory or cultural significance.  Collects plant or leaf specimens for testing, and/or submits specimens to diagnostic experts to determine or confirm the absence of disease of citrus.  Collects soil or arthropod specimens for identification of soil borne pathogens or pests, and/or submits specimens to experts for identification.  Inspects trees to detect deficiencies related to cultural practices, nutrition, water, or temperature.

Operates and performs routine maintenance on motorized equipment including trucks, and tractors; services all greenhouse and related equipment, including cooling system, irrigation system, fans, heaters, vents, pumps, sprayers, mowers, etc.  Keeps all such equipment clean and in operating condition.

Participates in weekend and holiday watering of greenhouse plants and seasonal cold protection measures after regular working hours as needed.

Perform related duties as required by management.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the procedures, policies and equipment used in the budwood foundation grove work.
• Knowledge of plant cultivation.
• Knowledge of labeling laws and best management practices in the use of pesticides, fertilizer and nutritional supplements.
• Skill in the use of greenhouse/farm equipment.
• Ability to pay attention to details and note discrepancies.
• Ability to follow verbal instructions.
• Ability to read and do basic arithmetic.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate work assignments, and work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work in hot, cold, and humid environments.
• Ability to walk on uneven ground and in inclement weather.
• Ability to lift and transport up to 50-pound objects.
  
  

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

SPECIAL NOTES:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.