Salary : $89,918.40 - $109,678.40 Annually
Location : Kings County Government Center, 1400 W. Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA
Job Type: Full-time permanent
Job Number: 2025-143
Department: Agriculture Commissioner/Sealer
Division: Agr. Commissioner/Sealer
Opening Date: 06/16/2026
Closing Date: 6/30/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

DUTY SAMPLE
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Plans, manages, and oversees the daily functions, operations, and activities of the Agricultural and Weights and Measures Department agricultural divisions, as assigned, including, but not limited to, pesticide regulation, investigation and environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, commodity regulation, pest prevention and plant regulation.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the assigned division(s); continuously monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned programs, service delivery methods, and procedures; assesses and monitors workload, administrative, and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifies opportunities and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Participates in the development, administration, and oversight of division budget; determines funding needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; ensures compliance with budgeted funding.
• Participates in the selection of, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; works with employees to correct deficiencies; recommends and implements discipline and termination procedures.
• Develops and manages requests for proposals for professional and/or contracted services; prepares scope of work and any technical specifications; evaluates proposals and recommends award; negotiates contracts; administers contracts to ensure compliance with County specifications and service quality.
• Reviews work of employees in the field and may personally perform inspections or investigation in any of the assigned agricultural areas.
• May act for the Agricultural Commissioner-Sealer in their absence and may represent the Commissioner-Sealer at meetings and conferences.
• Directs the serving of notices of violation of the California Food and Agriculture Code.
• Directs the preparation of evidence for possible legal action.
• Prepares and presents staff and agenda reports and other necessary correspondence related to assigned activities and services; presents reports to various commissions, committees, and boards.
• Conducts a variety of organizational and operational studies and investigations; recommends modifications to assigned programs, policies, and procedures, as appropriate.
• Serves as a liaison for assigned functions with other County departments, divisions, and outside agencies; provides staff support to commissions, committees, and task forces as necessary.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in agriculture; research emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to County needs.
• Monitors changes in regulations and technology that may affect operations; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to difficult and sensitive problems and complaints in a professional manner; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action.
• Directs the establishment and maintenance of working and official division files.
• Ensures staff compliance with County and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS **Minimum requirements must be met by the closing date**
Requirements are based on the California Department of Food and Agriculture. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Education:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in agriculture, biological, chemical, or physical science with a minimum of 30 semester units, or equivalent, in any of the following disciplines: agricultural science, biological science, chemical science, physical science, mathematics, and/or statistics as accepted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
• Candidates must meet the legal requirements of California Food and Agricultural Code 2123 and the Business and Professions Code 12203. Possession of the required licenses may be considered equivalent to the required semester units identified above.

Experience:

• Equivalent to three (3) years of technical experience in agricultural and/or weights and measures inspection and enforcement with at least six (6) months of experience equivalent to an Agricultural and Standards Inspector III in Kings County.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Licenses:

• Possession of a valid California driver's license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of appointment.
• Possession of a valid license of eligibility for County Deputy Agricultural Commissioner issued by the State of California Department of Food and Agriculture.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Qualify for security clearance through a background investigation and fingerprint check, which includes a credit check. Ability to work irregular hours as necessary and travel within and outside the County. Depending on the operational needs of the department, incumbents may be required to handle and discharge firearms necessary for control of wildlife.

DEPARTMENT ONLY RECRUITMENT
Closes June 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Management Group I = Appointed and elected officials in salary bands.

Management Group II = Middle management (all other management not in Group I or III).

Confidential Management Group III = All Executive Secretary positions, Deputy Clerk to B.O.S. I/II, Human Resources Assistant I/II, Human Resources Technician I/II, Payroll Technician I/II, Risk Technician I/II, Secretary, Secretary to the County Counsel, Secretary to the District Attorney, Secretary to the Sheriff.

VACATION
1. An eligible management employee may accrue vacation at the appropriate rate applicable to the employees length of service (2080 hours of actual service as defined in the County Personnel rules equals one year) as follows:
Service HoursHours (days) Earned (based on hours)Rate (based on hours)0 - 10,40096 (12 days).04615410,401 - 20,800120 (15 days).05769320,801 - 31,200140 (17.5 days).06730831,201 +160 (20 days).076924

2. An eligible management employee may accrue vacation at the appropriate rate applicable to the employee's length of service (as set forth above) until the employee reaches one of the following accrued hours of vacation limits:
Hours (days) Earned (based on hours)Maximum Vacation Accumulation Limits96 (12 days)192 hours120 (15 days)240 hours140 (17.5 days)280 hours160 (20 days)320 hours

Once the appropriate accumulation limit has been reached, the employee shall cease to earn additional vacation until the employee's accumulated vacation balance falls below the limits listed above.

3. Effective July 1, 2014, management employees in Group I & II will be granted 64 hours of additional vacation time as management leave in the first full pay period of each fiscal year (or pro-rated upon hire date). These hours are a separate leave benefit and not counted against the maximum vacation accrual established based on length of service. Employees may, at their option, sell back up to 48 of the 64 hours of management leave each fiscal year at their hourly rate of pay. This leave will be tracked separately from the regular vacation accrual and is not intended to carry over from year to year. If this time is not used by the end of the fiscal year (see note), up to 48 hours of the remaining balance will be automatically cashed out to the employee. Any sale of management vacation hours will be deducted only from the management vacation leave balance. The remaining 16 hours of leave cannot be cashed out and must be taken as time off only. If any hours remain at the end of the fiscal year after 48 hours are cashed out, the remaining hours will carry over to the new fiscal year (see note) However, the hours granted for the new fiscal year shall be reduced by the number of hours equal to those carried over. Effective July 1, 2025, the amount of management vacation time will increase from 64 hours to 80 hours of which will not carry over and may be cashed out in full.

a) All management attorneys in the District Attorney's Office, Child Support, Administration-Minors Advocate, and County Counsel will be granted 80 hours additional management leave in the first full pay period of each fiscal year (or prorated upon hire date). Which will not carry over and may be cashed out in full. Effective July 1, 2025, the amount of management vacation time will increase from 80 to 100 hours each fiscal year (or pro-rated upon hire date).

b) Management employees in Group III will be granted 40 hours of vacation time in the first full pay period of each fiscal year (or pro-rated upon hire date). All other terms described above apply. Effective July 1, 2025, the amount of management vacation time will increase from 40 to 50 hours each fiscal year (or pro-rated upon hire date).

4. All management employees may, at their option, sell back an additional 8 hours of regular vacation each fiscal year, (see note) at their hourly rate of pay, to be contributed directly to the employee's deferred compensation account.

5. Upon the recommendation of the Human Resources Director, the County Administrative Officer may authorize a vacation accrual rate for management positions hired from outside the county at an amount equivalent to what their accrual would be if their service time with other public agencies was earned in Kings County. Additionally, when this advanced accrual rate is authorized at the time of hire, the prior public service time will be used for calculating future adjustments to the accrual rate as if the time was earned with Kings County.

NOTE: (1) For purposes of payroll processing of vacation hour sell backs described above, the end of the fiscal year is defined as the last day of pay period 13 in any year. (2) Management leave is not available for use during pay period 14. (3) Provisions regarding vacation do not apply to elected officials.

NOTE: Provisions regarding vacation and management leave do not apply to elected officials.

HEALTH/DENTAL/OPTICAL PLAN PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION
Employees who elect to use a Health Plan offered by the County must continue to participate in the Dental and Optical plans and must remain in that plan until the open enrollment period of the plan. Employees electing to pretax their insurance will not be allowed to drop insurance coverage except at open enrollment unless the employee has a qualifying status change.

Effective May 27, 2024 (pay period 12-2024), the County contribution (per month based on 24 pay periods) to the health/dental/optical insurance premium will be as follows:

PPO Plan Health/Dental/VisionPlan LevelCounty ShareSingle$746.55Two-Party$1,359.24Family$2,045.22
The County shall pay 100% of the health insurance premium (including the medical, dental and vision plans) for the health plan offered by the County for each management employee and their eligible family members, based on their enrollment in such health plan. Employees promoting into or demoting out of management classifications after open enrollment will be treated as a "status" change and may enter or leave the plan, or modify the number of dependents covered.

DEFERRED