Superintendent of Agriculture

Class Specifications – G.15
Principal Superintendent of Agriculture – 8118
Senior Superintendent of Agriculture – 8119

August, 1972

Series Concept

Superintendents of Agriculture manage the on-site administrative and cultural activities involved in establishing and maintaining agricultural research sites; and perform other related duties as required.

Incumbents have (1) responsibility for planning and managing agricultural activities of such size and/or complexity as to require delegation of day-today operational duties to subordinate supervisors; or (2) the sole and independent responsibility for planning, managing, and operating an entire agricultural site; or (3) responsibility for acting as first assistant to the head of a unit.

Incumbents typically make recommendations on budget and staffing requirements; approve expenditures for labor, supplies and equipment; plan agricultural activities and make recommendations for long-range space allocations based upon the knowledge of future projects and cultural requirements; perform cultural duties requiring a highly skilled agricultural specialization; and select, train and supervise skilled and unskilled agricultural personnel.

The Superintendent of Agriculture series consists of two levels, distinguished on the basis of the size of the operation, the number of employees supervised, the technical complexity of the operations, the variety and delicacy of crops, the degree of responsibility for determining priorities and consequence of error, and the degree of supervision received.

Class Concepts

Principal Superintendent of Agriculture

Under general direction, incumbents (1) plan, organize and direct the total operations of a large agricultural site consisting, as a general guide, of 160 or more acres and typically requiring the delegation of day-today operational duties to one or more subordinate supervisors; or (2) plan, organize and direct a smaller but technically complex agricultural operation measured in terms of an unusual variety of crops, experimental plots and skilled cultural techniques requiring the delegation of day-today operational duties to one or more subordinate supervisors; or (3) independently plan, organize and direct the operation of an entire agricultural site, such as a large remote field station, where the cultural activities are highly technical and complex and involve delicate and/or a variety of crops. Incumbents frequently make independent decisions with a high consequence of error and act as technical consultant in the planning of research activities.

Senior Superintendent of Agriculture

Under direction, incumbents (1) plan, organize and direct the total operations of a medium-size agricultural site consisting, as a general guides of 40 to 160 acres and involved in diversified or specialized cultural activities requiring incumbents to determine field allocations, layout and crop rotation; supervise cultivations, irrigation, fumigation and harvesting procedures; and keep records of labor, equipments materials and production: or (2) act as first assistant to a Principal Superintendent of Agriculture with responsibility for the coordination, supervision and performance of all activities necessary to the day-today technical operation of a large or highly complex agricultural activity. incumbents typically schedule operations which provide all the necessary care and the best use of labor and equipment for a number of concurrent projects.

Minimum Qualifications

Principal Superintendent of Agriculture

Graduation from college with a degree in an agriculturally related field and three years of supervisory or other responsible experience in farming operations; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Senior Superintendent of Agriculture

Graduation from college with a degree in an agriculturally related field and one year of supervisory experience in farming operations; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.