Meat Inspector Trainee

State-of-Ohio; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 27,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Coverage

Dental Coverage

Vision Coverage

Paid Holidays

Life Insurance

Retirement Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The Ohio Department of Agriculture Meat Inspection Division seeks a Meat Inspector Trainee in Franklin or Madison County to learn inspections of meat plants and ensure adherence to state and federal policies. You will train under senior inspectors and gain hands-on experience in a role that supports food safety across Ohio.

You will perform ante mortem and postmortem checks, monitor sanitation, and help uphold high standards for meat and poultry processing while advancing in a structured program.

Qualifications

• 1 course in animal science, agribusiness and/or food business management
• OR 3 months experience in livestock industry/industrial meat and poultry processing
• AND 1 course in biological sciences or chemistry
• AND must be able to provide own transportation
• -Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

Responsibilities

• Receives training and mentoring from higher level meat inspector to learn procedures and assist in conducting inspections of registered meat plants, private, commercial slaughtering plants and custom-exempt red meat and/or poultry processing facilities
• Learns to perform ante mortem and postmortem inspections of carcasses and enforces state and federal sanitation, humane slaughter, meat processing and food safety policies, procedures and guidelines
• Conducts visual examination of live animal and/or poultry prior to slaughter while looking for abnormalities in appearance and behavior
• Contacts veterinarian for final disposition of unhealthy animals and records results
• Makes determination of age of beef through dentition of cattle 30 months or older for removal of backbone due to concerns of BSE
• Performs visual, tactile and/or incisory inspection of head, lymph nodes, viscera, carcass and offal to include liver, heart, brain and tripe
• Inspects all equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure sanitation levels and prohibits unsanitary or unapproved equipment until corrected
• Halts production for poor sanitation and/or non-compliance
• Assures proper disposition of unfit and condemned products, enforces sanitary dressing procedures
• Learns labeling requirements and assists in reviewing labeling materials
• Reviews proposed labels, product formulations, production procedures, quality control programs and lab reports
• Checks formulations for compliance with federal regulations and monitors inspection procedures
• Learns sampling procedures and assists higher level inspector with product samples
• Requires meat slaughter plants to conduct microbial testing for generic E.coli
• Learns how to document verification results and navigate PHIS
• Assists higher level inspector with other meat inspection duties
• Performs re-inspection of meat and/or poultry products and non-meat ingredients for such products
• Inspects critical control points in preparation and handling of meat or poultry products
• Prepares, maintains and monitors records concerning product condemnations and retentions
• Controls all sanitation discrepancies and corrective actions
• Assists in industry quality control programs
• Analyzes report deviations and travel/pay reports
• Attends training courses and seminars

Skills

Food Safety Inspection

Job description

All job postings will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application deadline.

Organization: Agriculture

Work Location: NO ADDRESS
London, Ohio, 43140
United States

Compensation: $23.65

Schedule: Permanent - Full Time

Work Hours: Work Standard 40 Hour Week

Classified Indicator: Classified

Union: OCSEA

Primary Job Skill: Food Safety Inspection

Who We Are

Agriculture isthe heart of it all in Ohio! The Ohio Department of Agriculture protects all Ohioans by safeguarding plants andanimals, conserving our natural resources and supporting farmers. ODA iscabinet-level agency reporting to Governor DeWine. Food and agriculture is one of Ohio’s top industries employing one in eight people. Ohio is home to more than 73,000 farms, withagriculture touching every part of the state. Not only does Ohio rank numberone in Swiss cheese production, but we are top three in the nation’s eggproduction and fifth in soybean production. Ohio’s farmers impact those wellbeyond state lines, feeding families across the nation.
ODA’s beautifulcampus is located in Reynoldsburg on 158-acres. Not only is parking free, butfood trucks frequent the campus for coffee and lunch.
You’ll findgreat coworkers here, who are experts in their field and care about the workthey do.

What We Do

Working for theOhio Department of Agriculture means strengthening our state with the help ofour 19 divisions programs. Our staff ensures the products you consume every dayare safe to eat and drink. We protect Ohio’s farmland, improve soil health, water quality, all while keeping our plants, crops, and animals free of pestsand disease. We are home to the state’s top food safety laboratory and serve asthe hub for a statewide lab safety system. Our folks protect consumers byensuring you get what you pay for through weights and measures accuracystandards. ODA overse 94 county and independent fairs, the showcasesof our towns and cities, and protects fair goers by inspecting the amusementrides you love to enjoy!
As a member ofteam ODA, you will be working with people of the highest caliber, doing greatwork, and making a difference for all Ohioans.

What You'll Do

No agbackground, no problem! You'll learn all about agriculture from our top-notchexperts who dedicate their lives to a cleaner, safer, and better Ohio.

The Division of Meat Inspection is seeking motivated candidates for a MeatInspector Trainee, headquartered in Franklin or Madison County.

In this role you will:

• Receivestraining and mentoring from higher level meat inspector to learnprocedures and assist in conducting inspections of registered meat plants,private, commercial slaughtering plants and custom- exempt red meat and/orpoultry processing facilities
• Learns toperform ante mortem and postmortem inspections of carcasses and enforcesstate and federal sanitation, humane slaughter, meat processing and foodsafety policies, procedures and guidelines
• Conducts visualexamination of live animal and/or poultry prior to slaughter while lookingfor abnormalities in appearance and behavior such as sick, hurt and/ornon-ambulatory
• Contactsveterinarian for final disposition of unhealthy animals and recordsresults
• Makesdetermination of age of beef through dentition of cattle 30 months orolder for removal of backbone due to concerns of BSE
• Performsvisual, tactile and/or incisory inspection of head, lymph nodes, viscera,carcass and offal to include liver, heart, brain and tripe to determinewhether or not pathological conditions are present, and carcass is inclean and wholesome condition
• Inspects allequipment, facilities and personnel to ensure acceptable sanitation levelsand prohibiting use of unsanitary, unsafe and/or unapproved equipment andfacilities until cleaned and/or corrected to include pest and rodentcontrol, use of pesticides and chemicals, condition and use of potablewater supply and waste and sewage systems
• Haltsproduction for poor sanitation and/or non-compliance
• Assures properdisposition of unfit and condemned products, enforces sanitary dressingprocedures and controls carcass branding
• Learns labelingrequirements and assists in reviewing labeling materials
• Reviewsproposed labels, product formulations, production procedures, qualitycontrol programs, quality control records and laboratory reports for stateinspected meat and/or poultry establishments
• Checksformulations of all types of meat food products for compliance withfederal regulations and periodically monitors inspection procedures formaintaining compliance in production of meat products
• Learns samplingprocedures and assists higher level inspector with submission of productsamples of products for analysis for microbiological adulterants and forconsumer protection
• Requires meatslaughter plants to conduct microbial testing for generic E.coli to verifyadequacy of process controls for prevention of fecal contamination
• Learns how todocument verification results and navigate in the Public HealthInformation System (PHIS)
• Assists higherlevel inspector with other meat inspection duties as assigned
• Performsre-inspection of meat and/or poultry products and non-meat ingredients forsuch products intended for further processing or distribution
• Inspectscritical control points in preparation and handling of meat or poultryproducts (i.e., monitors formulation, temperature controls, preparationprocedures, use of restricted ingredients and sampling) to ensurecompliance
• Prepares,maintains and monitors required records, reports and formulationsconcerning product condemnations and retentions
• Controls allsanitation discrepancies and corrective actions
• Assists inindustry quality control programs
• Analyzes reportdeviations, travel and pay reports and submits such through properchannels
• Attendstraining courses (e.g., Incidence Command Systems training courses;Inspection System Procedures including Homeland Security)
• Refresherseminars and on-job training activities

Additional Information

Thisposition shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of the OCSEACollective Bargaining Agreement.ODA bargaining unit members haveselection rights before non-bargaining unit members.All otherapplications will only be considered if an internal bargaining unit applicantis not selected for this position.

WeSupport Diversity and Inclusion

ODAvalues its internal diversity and pledges to cultivate an inclusive andengaging environment for all employees where differences are embraced andcelebrated. The agency commits to building a workforce that champions theadvancement of these principles and initiatives. The values on which theseefforts are founded are respect, empathy, transparency, equality, and equalaccess.

Ifyou require an accommodation for the interview process or the position, pleasenotify the assigned recruiter.

Unusual Working Conditions

Work flexible hours and/or shifts; travel required, some overnight stays,must provide own transportation or in order to operate a state vehicle, musthave a valid driver's license from state of residence, work weekends; rotating6 month rotations on 2nd shift; exposure to extreme temperature changes; workon surface slippery from fluids and grease; required to climb steps orladders & work from catwalks or power lift platforms; exposed to possibleinjury from animals in holding pen; must stand for extended periods of time inconfined work area; work around machinery with moving parts while standing onraised expanded metal platform; exposure to inmates with knives and/or sharpweapons; exposed to animal waste &/or infectious disease, loud equipmentsuch as splitting saw, captive bolt pistol and/or firearms.

Why Work for the State of Ohio

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Qualifications

1 course in animal science, agribusiness and/or foodbusiness management

OR 3 months experience in livestockindustry/industrial meat and poultry processing

AND 1 course in biological sciences or chemistry(e.g., high school or college)

AND must be able to provide own transportation

-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

Job Skills: Food Safety Inspection

ADA Statement

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Drug-Free Workplace

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.

A color deficiency test will be administered before the interview. If candidate fails, he/she will not be further considered.

The final candidateselected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal backgroundcheck. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant'sprior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free Workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). All finalapplicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit tourinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to appointments. Testing will also be performed for the presence of marijuana. An applicant with a positivetest shall not be offered employment unless the applicant submits medicaldocumentation of legally prescribed medications or a recommendation for medicalmarijuana.