Job Details

Working Title: Forest Pest [Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Surveyor

Job Class: Agricultural Technician

Agency: Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Job ID : 91599

• Location : St. Paul; Various; Minnesota Northeast Area; Minnesota Central Area; Minnesota Southeast Area; Statewide

• Telework/Remote Work Eligible : Yes

• Full/Part Time : Intermittent (full time work during trap placement and removal w/unpaid leave in between; more details are in the Job Summary)

• Regular/Temporary : Temporary

• Who May Apply : This vacancy is open to all qualified job seekers.

• Date Posted : 01/30/2026

• Closing Date : 03/02/2026

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Minnesota Department of Agriculture

• Division/Unit : Plant Protection Division / Plant Pest Mitigation & Regulatory Response Section / Spongy Moth Unit

• Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift / 7:00am - 5:30pm

• Days of Work : Monday - Thursday

• Travel Required : Yes - travel daily within route, return to home office daily

• Salary Range: $20.51 / hour

• Classified Status : Classified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 218 - Non-Represented Employee's Compensation Plan

• Start Date: Southern Region: 05/26/2026; Northern Region: 06/09/2026

• Anticipated End Date : Southern Region: 09/01/2026; Northern Region: 10/08/2026

• FLSA Status : Nonexempt

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities ( : No

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

This announcement will be used to fill approximately 20 Forest Pest Surveyor positions for the MDA's annual Spongy Moth Trapping Survey. Spongy Moth ( Lymantria dispar ) is a human nuisance and a serious threat to Minnesota's forests and urban trees and shrubs. Once established, the caterpillars cause costly and extensive defoliation damage during outbreaks. The trapping survey will allow us to detect and monitor for the pest early on, identify potential problem areas, and provide data necessary to make future management decisions to slow the spread of this invasive insect into the State of Minnesota.

Job duties include assembling, placing, inspecting and removing up to 800 cardboard detection traps. Surveyors will each be assigned a route that is reasonably accessible from their home office location (where they live). Surveyors collect data using a GPS-enabled tablet (training provided) and report daily to a lead worker.

A reliable vehicle is necessary for driving survey routes. Mileage is reimbursed at the current Federal mileage reimbursement rate. Surveyors in select routes may instead be issued a rental or State fleet vehicle to complete all survey work for the season.

Please include your FULL PHYSICAL ADDRESS in your application. Check to see that your profile address is current and correct. If submitting a resume that has a different address than your profile has, please indicate which location you would like to be considered for. Your location(s) will be geocoded to see which route you are located in or within reasonable proximity to.

The majority of the positions filled will be designated as remote worker positions which is defined as, an employee who, as a condition of their appointment, has their home or alternative location as the assigned work location, works permanently from that location, and does not have an agency permanent/principal work location. Currently the MDA does not allow remote work locations outside of the State of Minnesota. However, applicants in WI or IA that are located relatively close to the MN survey project area will be considered. For more information refer to HR/LR Policy #1447 Remote Worker Policy:

These are "intermittent" positions, which means survey staff work when we need them to.

• We need survey staff working fulltime during the trap placement and trap removal periods (timeframes listed below).

• There will be unpaid leave between the trap placement and removal periods.

Workdays will typically be Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Southern Region*: There will be approximately 11 total weeks of employment over a 16-week period (approx. 5 weeks of unpaid leave midseason).

Northern Region*: There will be approximately 13 total weeks of employment over a 20-week period (approx. 7 weeks of unpaid leave midseason).

Mandatory Trainings (first two days virtual; last day in-person):

Southern Region*: May 26 - 28, 2026

Northern Region*: June 9 - 11, 2026

Trap Placement:

Southern Region*: May 29 - July 2, 2026

Northern Region*: June 15 - July 22, 2026

Midseason: unpaid leave (per "intermittent" status)

Trap Removal:

Southern Region*: August 12 - September 1, 2026

Northern Region*: September 14 - October 8, 2026

End dates (approximate):

Southern Region*: September 1, 2026

Northern Region*: October 8, 2026

* See map below for S/N regions and survey project areas.

Counties of residence where we are seeking applicants: Aitkin, Anoka, S. Becker, S.E. Beltrami, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, N.E. Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Ottertail, Pine, Ramsey, Renville, Rice, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright

Minimum Qualifications

To facilitate proper years of service crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held.

High school diploma or GED.

Must have a valid driver's license and an acceptable motor vehicle record subject to review.

The ability to celebrate diversity and a strong commitment to a respectful and inclusive work environment.

Preferred Qualifications

A background in biology or related field.

Previous field survey and data collection experience.

The ability to work well independently with minimal supervision and with others as a team.

The ability to prioritize, set goals and meet deadlines.

Good interpersonal skills and ability to explain assigned activities to any interested party.

The ability to navigate using paper maps and/or GPS-enabled mapping applications.

Good written communication to record all relevant data and report findings.

Physical Requirements

The ability to transport up to 20 pounds by hand.

The ability to drive for prolonged periods of time.

The ability to drive on all kinds of roads up to 250 miles per day.

The ability to get in and out of a vehicle up to 60 times per day.

The ability to navigate to and move to survey sites (25-60 per day) within a designated route to place, inspect and remove traps under various weather conditions and terrain quickly and efficiently. Some positions will require extensive movement in rough wooded terrain.

Additional Requirements

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will not sponsor applicants for work visas, including STEM OPT extensions. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

A job offer will be contingent upon successfully passing a background check. It is the policy of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, as part of its hiring procedures, to conduct background checks on the finalist(s) for positions within the agency. The background check may consist of the following components:

• SEMA4 Records Check (applies to current and former state employees only)

• Employment Reference Check

• Driver's License Check

• Conflict of Interest Review

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-###-#### or email ...@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.