Consumer Safety Inspector.

Food Safety and Inspection Service; Ottumwa (IA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Food Safety and Inspection Service in Ottumwa, IA seeks a federal inspector to ensure safe meat and poultry products by applying inspection methods and documenting noncompliance, initiating enforcement when warranted.

The role verifies SSOP and HACCP plan compliance, reviews records, observes plant operations, and communicates requirements to plant managers. Applicants must meet the specialized experience criteria and pass background checks.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience with regulated food commodities or other ingestible products.
• Experience as an inspector or in related roles with sampling, quality control and sanitation.
• Ability to document findings and communicate effectively to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Inspect meat and poultry establishments to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Verify SSOP and HACCP plans meet regulatory requirements and operate effectively.
• Review records, observe plant operations, and document noncompliance (Non-Compliance Records).
• Determine when regulatory action is necessary and assess corrective actions for effectiveness.
• Coordinate with other agencies on animal health restrictions and import controls.

Job description

Duties

YOU WILL/MAY:

• Ensure that regulated establishments produce a safe product by executing appropriate inspection methods, determining non-compliance with regulatory requirements, documenting noncompliance and initiating enforcement action, where warranted.
• Verify that meat and poultry slaughter and/or processing establishment's Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plans meet regulatory requirements.
• Verify execution of Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plans effectively to prevent unsanitary conditions and adulteration of product.
• Review records, observe plant operations and conduct hands‑on verification to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and prepare detailed documentation (Non‑Compliance Records) of noncompliance with regulatory requirements.
• Determine when regulatory control action is necessary. You will assess whether the plant's corrective or preventative actions are acceptable and effective, if there are trends in non‑compliance, or if enforcement action is warranted.
• Conduct regulatory oversight activities inside plants in matters relating to other consumer protections (e.g., economic adulteration and misbranding).
• Have contact with plant managers, owners and others to explain legal and regulatory requirements, discuss operation of the plant's SSOP, HACCP plan and other food safety programs.
• Communicate and defend determinations on non‑compliance issues and discuss plans for addressing non‑compliance.
• Work with a variety of individuals to resolve problems, clarify differences of interpretation concerning HACCP and other food safety or consumer protection requirements.
• Advise other Agency inspectors, supervisors and officers on inspection and enforcement matters for which you are involved.
• Conduct various samplings, surveys and tests to obtain pertinent data on potential problem areas, industry trends, or other issues of current interest to the Agency.
• Be involved in performing health and safety verification sampling and tests for detection of specific microbes (e.g., salmonella, listeria, etc.), residues or contaminants.
• Assure that products approved for import are in full compliance with all applicable Federal regulations governing the importation of meat and poultry products.
• Authorize entry of all meat or poultry products considered to comply with Federal regulations or refuse entry of any products which violate any of the requirements for admission into this country.
• Coordinate with other Federal agencies (e.g., the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection) on such matters as animal health restrictions and refused entry lots.

Requirements

• Training as a condition of employment (TCOE) is required. You must begin the training within 90 days of the effective date of your selection, and you must successfully complete it within 12 months of the effective date of your selection.
• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Successful completion of a pre‑employment medical examination.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104‑134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF‑306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• Should be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Specialized Experience

Specialized experience is experience that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities or other products for human consumption. Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aide, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.

See specific grade level specialized experience definitions below.

For the GS‑05 Level:

Applicants must have at least 52 weeks of qualifying experience that provided knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food or beverages for human consumption, or other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals. You are to show in your resume examples such as applying proper techniques for collecting samples and/or performing field tests and examinations (e.g. identifying abnormalities in the product or production environment and recommending corrective actions), developing written reports and/or reporting findings of results orally (e.g. documenting abnormalities in the product or production environment and communicating those findings to others), and/or skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals (e.g. discussing findings with internal or external contacts regarding the food safety standards established in the production environment), or other similar work making determinations on products for human consumption or