Seed Regulatory & Outreach Specialist

AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

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 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.  

Important Notes

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time permanent Seed Regulatory Outreach & Compliance Specialist position within the Commodity Inspection Services Division. This position is located in Yakima, Washington and is not represented.

Some of what you will do: 

• Cooperate with the USDA-AMS Federal Seed Regulatory & Testing Branch and other state agencies to carry out rules and policies for interstate seed shipments in compliance with truth-in-labeling laws. 
• Establish and maintain a list and finding in regulatory seed samples submitted to USDA AMS for laboratory analysis. 
  • This position enforces statutory and administrative regulations, policies, and rules that protect the integrity of the movement of seed. 
• Operate the regulatory program within the budget provided by the Program Manager for laboratory analysis and shipment of seeds to outsource laboratories for analysis. 
• Develop positive and collaborative relationships with regulatory entities and associations such as the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Association of American Seed Control Officials (AASCO), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 
• Read, interpret, comprehend, and follow instructions and methodology in policies, procedures, and rules related to processing seed samples for seed certification. 
• Report violations of Federal Seed Act to appropriate authorities and collaborate with investigations as requested. 
• Maintain a current list of PVP and IP varieties and lists which industry members have annual authority for Certified seed production. 
• Conduct Quarterly downloads from Department of Licensing a list of current Seed Dealers within the state. 
• Coordinate random sampling of current Seed Dealers for regulatory, education, and outreach in the form of site visits. 
• Develop appropriate outreach material for stakeholders and consumers on Washington state seed law. 
• Communicate with stakeholders when seed samples are out of tolerance or compliance with Washington State Seed Law. 
• Develop necessary forms and tools at an agency or program level to adequately track progress and measure the findings among seed labeling and regulatory sampling. 
• Collaborates with members of the public and the Seed Industry to develop new and amend existing agricultural rules and regulations relating to the production, certification, sales, and the phytosanitary protection of seed. 
• Collaborate with USDA AMS Seed Regulatory personnel on national and international seed laws and trade policy. 
• Guide policy at the regional and national level in order to provide proper presentation of the interests of the Washington Seed Industry in regards to seed regulatory and enforcement.
• Execute WAC's and policies established for seed certification in close cooperation and agreement between industry clientele and the Seed Program. 
• Develop internal and external Certified Seed Conditioner Permit instructional materials. 
• Routinely coordinate onsite visits with conditioning plants for document, record, and file sample retention compliance. 
• Develop a regular outreach schedule to conduct onsite visits with stakeholders in each crop kind to equally evaluate satisfaction with program services and develops strategies for improvement.
• In the absence of the Program Manager, oversee all supervision of all the employees assigned to the Seed Program and directly supervises key leadership positions. 
• Supervise and coordinate work of others.

Required Qualifications:   

• A bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, law, public health, health administration, or a related field

• Three (3) years of experience conducting research and analyzing policies, laws, rules, or regulations. 

• Comparable combination of graduate education and experience. 

• Must be able to acquire and maintain seed sampling accreditations for International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Association of American Seed Control Officials (AASCO), and USDA.
• Must be able to acquire and maintain a valid Washington State Driver's License. 

• Two (2) or more years of supervisory experience.  
• More than one (1) year experience working in a testing laboratory, seed warehouse management or equivalent. 
• Familiarity with seed testing processes, procedures, and standards such as AASCO, ISTA, & Canadian Methods. 
• Familiarity with state procedures, Federal Seed Act, Washington State Administrative Codes related to seed certification standards and United States Department of Agriculture regulations. 
• Familiarity with ISO accreditation and Quality Management Systems. 
• Demonstrated ability to utilize standard MS office software: Outlook, Word, & Excel. 
• Demonstrated experience in supervising or leading others. 
• Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds and use hand carts to move larger items. 

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; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

How to apply:
 

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:
     

· A resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position

· Three professional references 

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.
  
Applications with comments "see attachments" will be considered incomplete.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

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 Download PDF reader) 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.

Equity at WSDA  

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, improvement, and advancement.

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

 
Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov.
  
Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
    
The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.
      

Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here. 

Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.