See GRAIN SAMPLER/WEIGHER.

Positions supervise lower level Grain Inspection staff at an assigned location.

Acts as an assistant to a Grain Inspection Regional Manager and is responsible under the federal/state cooperative agreement to ensure all employees under their supervision comply with the provisions of federal and state rules and regulations. May be the only permanently assigned supervisor in smaller inspection offices. Positions must maintain a minimum of 14 US agricultural marketing commodity inspection licenses.

Directs, supervises and instructs staff in the official inspection, grading and weighing of standardized grains, graded commodities and processed commodities; 

Prioritizes inspection and loading of commodities based upon available staffing and established program criteria. 

Reviews timecard accuracy for hours worked, leave, overtime, callback and shift differential pay, monitors leave balances and reports balances to Regional Certification Specialist; 

Coordinates, directs, supervises and instructs employees in the sampling and certification of processed commodities for compliance with Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) and Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC) contracts; 

Schedules, assigns and reviews sampling, weighing and grading procedures for grain and agricultural commodities at feed and flour mills, grain elevators (country, subterminal and terminal) and railway yards; 

Assists in the formulation and conduct of an employee training program for official personnel; provides counseling, assistance and training for employee development in official inspection and weighing skills; conducts licensing examinations for grain and commodity samplers and NIR protein technicians; provides safety and employee orientations; 

Conducts and/or supervises: the sanitation inspection of ship, barge, railcar, truck and container stowage areas to determine fitness for loading bulk or bagged grains or commodities; the sanitation inspection of processing plants of graded and processed commodities; advises and recommends needed corrective measures to shippers and processors; enforces compliance with regulations; 

Oversees the loading of export grain cargoes; review documentation and procedures for compliance with the Uniform Shiplot Inspection Plan (Cu-sum) and Protein Uniform Inspection Plan (PUIP) and compliance with the terms of sale as reflected in the load order document; answers questions for and resolves problems with elevator personnel and grain exporters; 

Certifies official export weights; reviews export certificates for compliance with federal and state acts, regulations, instructions, and contracts; 

Reviews the work records of grain samplers/weighers and inspectors for accuracy; 

Reviews domestic certificates for accuracy and compliance with federal and state acts, regulations, and instructions prior to issuance; 

Acts as an agent for Dairy and Food Division, Department of Agriculture, to place administrative embargoes on any food grains or commodities, in intrastate or interstate commerce, found to be in violation of the Washington Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and provides information to Dairy and Food Division and the Federal Food and Drug Administration on suspected violations; 

Discusses weighing, grading and inspection problems and procedures in person and by telephone with representatives of the trade including elevator operators, producers, processors, warehousemen, freight carriers, FGIS and other governmental or public agencies; assists in informational meetings with the trade, foreign and domestic buyers and the public on official inspection problems and procedures; 

Assists in developing Departmental programs and procedures; investigates safety problems and accidents, initiate and/or recommend needed corrections and preventative measures, assure compliance with the Department Safety Program; 

Supervises the operation of grain quality testing including Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) protein analysis, alpha amylase testing by Falling Numbers procedure and toxin testing by blacklight and minicolumn methods; 

Assists in overseeing a quality assurance program in conjunction with the Olympia management and Quality Assurance/Quality Control staff and FGIS for the inspection of standardized grains and commodities and NIR protein determinations; 

Reviews daily worksheets for accurate billing to admin staff; reviews all completed lots for accurate billing and GIWIS reporting, maintains equipment and certificate records and security; 

Performs other work as required.

Knowledge of: leadership and team building methods and best practices; the United States Grain Standards Act, the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 and the regulations and instructions there under governing the sampling, inspection, handling, grading, shipping and certifying of grains and commodities; handling procedures of terminal, subterminal and country grain elevators and of commodity processing plants and warehouses; Chapter 22.09 RCW and other applicable State laws, rules and directives; grain office management policy, principles and procedures; inspection and weighing equipment and procedures; Merit System Rules; affirmative action policy, plan and procedures; safety policy and procedures. 

Ability to: supervise, coach and mentor staff; enforce applicable Federal and State laws for official grain and commodity inspection and weighing services; assign, schedule, train and inspect the work of Grain Samplers, Grain Sampler-Weighers, Grain Inspectors, and Protein Specialists; interpret the Acts and Regulations for official personnel, shippers, growers, processors, buyers, and the public; utilize color and odor perception; conduct a quality assurance program for official inspection, weighing and NIR protein determinations; interpret ASCS and DPSC commodity contracts to determine compliance with contract requirements; interpret the Union-Management Agreement and Inner Office Agreements on the distribution of overtime and penalty time and assign and schedule employees in accordance with these agreements to meet industry needs; write and speak clearly, accurately, and informatively; deal effectively with the trade and the public; climb and work safely and with agility at high levels, around moving equipment under extra‑hazardous conditions, and often in very high temperatures; work in environments that include exposure to chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

Positions require a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and 21 specific licenses required by the US Grain Standards Act and the USDA Agricultural Marketing Act. In addition, positions require five (5) basic USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) commodity inspection licenses to include wheat, corn, soybeans, sorghum, a wheat license, and eight (8) other licenses for grains and/or commodities. 

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Bachelor’s degree with major study in agronomy or closely allied field. 

AND 

Two years of experience as a supervisor or manager, 

AND 

Two years of experience as a Grain Inspector Senior or equivalent. 

Experience may be gained concurrently.

New class; adopted June 13, 2019, effective July 1, 2019.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.