Meat Inspector - Polk Co

State of Iowa; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

IPERS retirement system

Paid time off and holidays

Long-term disability insurance

Job summary

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Meat & Poultry Inspection Bureau is seeking a full-time Meat Inspector in the Central Iowa Polk County region. You will inspect meat facilities to ensure food safety, humane handling, and regulatory compliance.

Essential duties include on-site inspections, record reviews, and effective communication with facilities. Travel statewide is required, with training in HACCP and poultry inspection courses within the first six months of

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED or 30 college credits with related coursework.
• Complete USDA or approved equivalent courses within one year.
• Demonstrated ability to follow regulatory requirements and HACCP basics.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections of livestock and poultry.
• Inspect facilities, ensure sanitation and humane handling compliance.
• Review records and communicate results; prepare non-compliance reports.
• Enter inspection results daily and provide outreach to facilities.

Skills

Written and oral communication

Independent worker

Regulatory compliance

Education

High school diploma or GED

30 semester hours in related fields

Tools

USDA inspection methods training

Job description

The approximately 345 employees of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) are responsible for programs that impact the quality of life of every Iowan. From supporting Iowa agriculture to protecting consumers and ensuring food safety, the work of IDALS touches communities across the state every day. Your work behind the scenes helps ensure Iowa consumers have access to safe, high-quality meat and poultry products.

The Meat & Poultry Inspection Bureau is seeking a full-time Meat Inspector to join our team in the Polk County region of Central Iowa.

In this role, you will inspect locker plants, small packing plants, and other meat processing facilities to ensure compliance with food safety and humane animal handling standards under the Iowa Meat and Poultry Inspection Act. Your work will help keep Iowa's food supply safe while supporting one of the state's most important industries.

Essential duties:

Conducts antemortem and postmortem inspections of livestock and poultry, using senses and required hand tools to examine animals for disease.

Travels to and conducts walk-through inspections of regulated facilities, ensuring compliance with sanitation standards.

Conducts examinations of finished and in-process products to ensure wholesomeness and compliance with product labeling standards.

Reviews records generated by inspected facilities to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and facility programs.

Enters inspection results daily into designated computer system and prepares non-compliance reports and memoranda as needed to communicate findings.

Communicates with regulated facilities regarding inspection results, regulatory requirements and changes to policies; conducts outreach to new facilities to aid compliance with regulatory requirements.

Additional requirements:

Meat Inspectors must maintain a valid driver's license for statewide travel to conduct inspections and must successfully complete the USDA-FSIS Food Inspector Livestock and Inspection Methods courses within six months of hire. Meat inspection work frequently exposes inspectors to hot, cold, wet, or slippery conditions. Inspectors must be able to handle knives and other tools effectively, and must have full use of their senses, including sight, hearing, touch, and smell. Inspectors are also subject to a background check required for access to federal computer systems.

The preferred candidate

will possess a background in the meat industry, food industry, regulatory work or agriculture, with relevant experience and/or education in food safety, animal health, agriculture, or related areas. The candidate will demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills and will be able to both work independently and establish strong professional relationships with industry representatives and colleagues alike.

Why IDALS?

At the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, our work matters. Every day, our employees help protect Iowa's food supply, support agricultural innovation, promote environmental stewardship, and serve the people who make Iowa a national leader in agriculture.

Joining IDALS means becoming part of a collaborative team dedicated to public service, continuous improvement, and meaningful work that makes a difference across the state. Whether you're supporting our inspectors behind the scenes or working directly with stakeholders, your contributions help strengthen Iowa's agricultural future.

Benefits

As a State of Iowa employee, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Affordable, high-quality health insurance with low monthly premiums.
• Dental insurance at no cost for single coverage.
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance, with optional supplemental life insurance available.
• Membership in the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS), a defined-benefit pension plan.
• Optional deferred compensation plan with a State match of up to $75 per month.
• Generous paid time off, including holidays, vacation, sick leave, military leave, and jury duty leave.

Learn more about the outstanding benefits available to State of Iowa employees by visiting the State of Iowa Benefits webpage.

E-Verify and Right to Work:

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1. Graduation from high school, GED, or equivalency and experience equal to two years of full-time work in livestock or poultry slaughter, processing, or marketing; meat and poultry inspection; or other food-related industry or regulatory work.
2. Thirty semester hours of education from an accredited college or university with a minimum of six semester hours in any of the following major areas: veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, animal science, agricultural business, livestock management, zoology, biology or a closely related major.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description. All of the following must be successfully completed within one year of employment:

• USDA or approved equivalent courses in livestock slaughter and inspection methods.
• An introductory HACCP course approved by the International HACCP Alliance.
• The USDA poultry course or equivalent for inspectors with poultry inspection duties.