Plant Diagnostic Lab Supervisor

The Plant Pest Control program helps facilitate trade for Missouri agricultural businesses, and protects Missouri's agricultural and forest resources from harmful exotic and invasive pests.  

ANNUAL SALARY:  $55,000

WORK SCHEDULE:  Monday - Friday (8 hour days)

LOCATION:  Jefferson City, Missouri

• Manage the plant disease diagnostic laboratory including supervision of plant diagnostician, as well as performance and oversight of disease diagnostics.
• Manage the fruit tree and grapevine virus-free certification program, performance and supervision of related field work, and serve on regional or national committees as the opportunities arise.
• Provide expert guidance to program staff and supervisor on plant regulatory actions including quarantines, export certification, post-entry quarantine, federal permit reviews, and pest management strategies.
• Network and collaborate with plant diagnosticians, diagnostic laboratories, and researchers nationwide to improve our diagnostic capabilities and stay at the forefront of new pest threats.  
• Travel to conferences and participation in work groups.
• Budgeting and finance tracking for laboratory operations, with possibility of some federal grant management.

Qualifications:

Four(4) years of professional experience as a plant pathologist/plant disease diagnostician or closely related experience AND graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with specialization in plant pathology, biology, or closely related areas.

Graduate work in the education areas listed above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for a maximum of two years of stated experience.  Additional qualifying experience in the above areas may substitute on a year-for-year basis for stated education.

Extensive experience in classical, serological, or molecular diagnostics of horticultural, forestry and/or field crops common to the Midwestern United States is preferred.  

Supervisory experience is preferred.

Contact:  hr@mda.mo.gov with any questions

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity Employer

M-F-V-DD-EOE

The Missouri Department of Agriculture, located in Jefferson City, Mo., is dedicated to the promotion and protection of the state’s agriculture industry. With nearly 100,000 farms on more than 28 million acres of farmland, the state’s Department of Agriculture works to connect farmers with consumers. Nearly 90% of Missouri’s farms are family owned, and our family farms are committed to producing a safe and secure food supply for customers locally and globally. Additionally, more than one in every ten Missouri jobs are in agriculture and forestry.

The Department of Agriculture houses five divisions including Ag Business Development, Animal Health, Grain Inspection & Warehousing, Plant Industries and Weights, Measures & Consumer Protection. These divisions work each day to promote and protect the backbone of the state’s economy.

When it comes to economic impact, agriculture is a heavy hitter. Between crops, livestock, forestry and fishery production; agriculture inputs and services agriculture inputs and services; food and related products manufacturing and forestry products manufacturing, agriculture’s economic contribution to Missouri totals $88.4 billion.

Missouri is incredibly diverse in what we grow. From corn and soybeans in the north and cotton and rice in the south, all of our commodity groups work together to form one agriculture.