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The Montana Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for Seasonal Agricultural Technicians to sample grain and other crops.
The mission of the Department of Agriculture is to protect producers and consumers, and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries.
The State Grain Laboratory, located in Great Falls, is responsible for the operation of a statewide grain and commodity inspection program. Accurate and unbiased sampling inspections and testing are performed in compliance with federal and state grain standards. The State Grain Laboratory is the only federally designated, official grain inspection service in the state of Montana. The purpose of official grain inspection is to certify the type and grad of crops for setting market values under federal standards issued by USGA/AMA.
Job Overview
Seasonal Grain Samplers may start their day at the Lab preparing samples for grading inspections. They may then be assigned a route for collecting samples. Most of the day may be spent driving the route from one grain elevator to the next. Elevators are located from 1 to 4 hours or more from the lab in Great Falls. While at each elevator, crop samples are taken from rail cars, trucks and totes or bags. The samples are then returned to the lab after completing the assigned route. The routes and crops being collected vary each day.
The State Grain Laboratory uses on-the-job training methods during the normal paid work hours. Position will last up to 6 months. Most full -time employees have been hired from the seasonal worker pool of candidates.
Minimum Qualifications
Good driving record.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
The State Grain Laboratory has a peak work season starting at the end of July and lasting until early January. During these months, employees may be asked to work 10 hours a day and up to seven days a week to provide timely customer service. During off-peak season, from January to July, employees may be asked to work a reduced work week.
Overtime is paid at 1.5 times base rate.
Lunch time is paid while in route and collecting samples.
Sampling is performed outdoors on railcars and trucks, indoors for totes and bags.
Workers can be exposed to discomforts and physical annoyances: traffic, road construction, adverse weather, noise, fumes and dust.
Workers are required to lift up to 50 lb. crop samples and boxes.
Requires climbing ladders to the top of rail cars, hopper cars and trucks. Must be able to carry a 12 ft. probe to the top and insert into 12 feet of compacted grain to obtain samples.
Other work duties may include processing of samples in the laboratory. Sample processing requires the use of lab equipment where accuracy is critical to meeting federal standards.
May include occasional paid overnight stays and meals for sampling unit trains.
