WSDA Communications
Washington state cherries are a worldwide favorite. The
beautiful color, taste, size, and quality are widely known. With cherry season
nearing, WSDA is looking for inspectors to join the force for the duration of
cherry season (six to eight weeks), but with only a week before training
begins, we are not seeing as many applicants as in year’s past.
“We usually get quite a bit more applicants, but this year
we just aren’t seeing the numbers we usually do,” commodity inspection manager
Robert Newell said.
WSDA typically hires more than 100 inspectors to visit the
local warehouses in Brewster, Chelan, Wapato, Wenatchee, Pasco, and Yakima. But
this year, several positions are still available with just a week to go before
the start of the cherry inspection period.
What a cherry
inspector does
Inspectors start training June 1, and over the course of
cherry season they visit cherry packing warehouses and inspect the product for
quality, color, and other facets.
If you’re a returning inspector, training is a one-day
refresher course. For first-timers, this is a three-day endeavor where we will
teach you grade and sampling procedures; how to identify defects, what the
grade requirements are, how to sample the products, what the cherry crushing
process looks like, and how to best communicate with the facility where you are
inspecting.
Inspectors also learn about our inspection documents, how to enter
sample information into the computer program, create accurate documents, and issue
shipping permits.
In an effort to fill all the needed spots, WSDA has increased
wages from $15 an hour to $17.24 an hour.
Once hired, inspectors visit warehouses, sometimes perform a
sanitation walkthrough looking for debris such as leaves that may need to be
cleared out. But the primary work is to take samples of packed cherry boxes and
look for color, grade, size, and condition. Inspectors perform a crush test,
checking to see if the cherries are home to fruit flies. Once all the checks
are balanced, inspectors record the information and issue shipping permits and
other documents that allows our cherry packing facilities to ship the product
all over the country and abroad.
Inspectors are expected to produce accurate and quality
work, paying attention to detail as they inspect and certify fresh cherries at
shipping points for domestic and foreign markets. Making sure the grade and
condition of the cherries meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and WSDA.
“By working together with our industry partners, we continue
to keep Washington state cherries a sought after product worldwide,” Newell
said.
How to qualify
To qualify for this position, you must be at least 18 years
old with a valid driver’s license and a GED or high school diploma. The best
candidates also have the ability to work cooperatively in a fast-paced team
environment and have reliable transportation. If you also have the ability to
use good judgment, tact, and withstand stressful situations, this is the job
for you.
Some years, there’s also opportunity for frequent overtime pay. Visit www.governmentjobs.com or agr.wa.gov to apply.