Agriculture Specialist jobs in Albany, NY

Posting Dates: March 15, 2024 – March 25, 2024

Harvest your potential with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets! Join our team and become an integral part of a team dedicated to fostering a competitive food and agriculture industry that benefits both producers and consumers alike. Here, you can cultivate your career in a dynamic environment that values innovation, sustainability, and community engagement. With a wide range of opportunities spanning from environmental science to economic development, you can find your niche in public service and grow both professionally and personally. Embrace the chance to join our team, and you’ll not only reap a fulfilling career but also sow the seeds for a healthier, stronger New York.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking two Economic Development Program Specialist Trainee 1s Agriculture to deliver and administer food and agricultural business development programs. This includes providing technical assistance and formulating economic development solutions for NYS food producers, processors, agri-businesses, buyers, and customers. These positions will also be responsible for administering food and agricultural product marketing and promotion programs, which includes business development, food and nutrition, and marketing and promotional programs. These positions are perfect for a self-driven candidate interested in applying agricultural business knowledge, training, and experience to provide agricultural economic development services to develop, promote, and market New York State (NYS) agricultural products and commodities!

This is a PEF-represented position that offers excellent benefits! Benefits include but are not limited to inexpensive Health Insurance options, free Dental and Vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, and generous paid time off. Within the first year, you are eligible for 5 days of personal time, 13 vacation days, 13 sick days, and 13 paid holidays. This position also offers an opportunity for a part-time telecommuting schedule!

The starting salary for the Economic Development Program Specialist Trainee 1 Agriculture is $47,925/ year, and the hiring salary for the PEF salary grade (SG) 13. This position requires the completion of a two-year traineeship. After successful completion of the first year of the traineeship, the appointee will advance without further examination to the Trainee 2 level SG-14 (starting salary of $50,678). Completion of the second year of the traineeship will result in permanent advancement to the Economic Development Program Specialist 1 Agriculture, SG-18 (starting salary of $63,108) without further examination. Candidates may be eligible for appointment directly to the Trainee 2 or full performance level. For more information, see Advanced Placement below.

The candidate appointed at the full title Economic Development Program Specialist 1 Agriculture, SG-18 level, will be eligible to participate in the New York State Performance Evaluation Program. Through this program, employees receive yearly performance evaluations. Performance advances are payable to PEF employees whose base annual salary is below the job rate for their current position and who were rated "Satisfactory" or its equivalent on their yearly performance evaluation. Performance advance payments are added to an employee's annual salary. Over time, yearly performance advances may lead to the SG-18 job rate salary of $80,248/ year!

NY HELPS Qualifications: a bachelor’s degree or higher.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, you must also have one year of professional experience in agriculture, natural resource management, regional planning, economic development, manufacturing or food service fields that include business or program management, domestic or international marketing, conducting research, event planning or coordination, or developing or implementing strategies.

This will reduce the traineeship time by one year.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, you must also have two years of professional experience in agriculture, natural resource management, regional planning, economic development, manufacturing or food service fields that include business or program management, domestic or international marketing, conducting research, event planning or coordination, or developing or implementing strategies.

You must inform the hiring agency of additional professional experience at the time of interview.

Candidates who are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to one of these opportunities must use this application to apply by February 19, 2024. Within this online application please upload your resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript. Please specify the location(s) you are interested in on your application.

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Sacco in Human Resources at (518) 457-3216 or HarvestYourPotential@agriculture.ny.gov.

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive and the official probationary period will begin.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Reassignment Qualifications: You must be a current Department of Agriculture and Markets employee and have one year of permanent, contingent-permanent, or 55 b/c service as an Economic Development Program Specialist Trainee 1 Agriculture, NS, Economic Development Program Specialist Trainee 2 Agriculture, NS and Economic Development Program Specialist 1, G-18; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current eligible list for this location if one exists.

70.1 Transfer Qualifications to Economic Development Program Specialist 1 Agriculture, G-18: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND a Bachelor’s Degree or higher AND two years of professional experience in agriculture, economic development, natural resource management, regional planning, manufacturing or food service fields that include business or program management, domestic or international marketing, conducting research, event planning or coordination, or developing or implementing strategies. Such titles include but are not limited to: Economic Development Program Specialist 1, G-18.

70.4 Transfer Qualifications to Economic Development Program Specialist Trainee 1 Agriculture, NS: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a Grade 11 title or higher AND received a passing score on the most recent Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) examination.

Reinstatement Under Rule 5.4: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they were previous permanent New York State employees who resigned their positions may be reinstated to their former positions, or to positions to which they were eligible for transfer or reassignment without further examination. Employees separated from their positions may be reinstated within one year of the date of their separation. Employees separated from their positions who have also been separated from state service for more than one year may be reinstated upon approval by the state Civil Service Commission.

55-b/c Qualifications: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they meet these qualifications: a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Information about the Workers with Disabilities 55-b and the Veterans with Disabilities employment program 55-c can be found at https://www.cs.ny.gov/dpm/c55.cfm.