Consumer Safety Inspector.

About the role

This position involves regulatory oversight of meat, poultry, and egg products to ensure compliance with Federal regulations, including the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts. The role requires conducting inspections, verifying Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, documenting non-compliance, and initiating enforcement actions as warranted. The position also involves coordinating with other Federal agencies and performing health and safety verification sampling for contaminants such as salmonella and listeria.

Responsibilities

• Execute inspection methods to ensure regulated establishments produce safe products and determine non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Verify that meat and poultry slaughter and/or processing establishments' SSOP and HACCP plans meet regulatory requirements.
• Review records, observe plant operations, and conduct hands-on verification to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Prepare detailed documentation (Non-Compliance Records) of non-compliance with regulatory requirements and determine when regulatory control action is necessary.
• Assess the acceptability and effectiveness of plants' corrective or preventative actions, identify trends in non-compliance, and recommend enforcement actions.
• Conduct regulatory oversight activities related to consumer protections, such as economic adulteration and misbranding.
• Communicate with plant managers and owners to explain legal and regulatory requirements, discuss SSOP, HACCP plans, and other food safety programs.
• Communicate and defend determinations on non-compliance issues and discuss plans for addressing non-compliance with plant personnel.
• Work with various individuals to resolve problems and 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.
• Conduct samplings, surveys, and tests to obtain data on potential problem areas, industry trends, or issues of current interest to the Agency.
• Perform health and safety verification sampling and tests for detection of specific microbes (e.g., salmonella, listeria) and other contaminants.
• Assure that products approved for import comply with all applicable Federal regulations governing the importation of meat and poultry products.
• Authorize entry of meat or poultry products that comply with Federal regulations or refuse entry of products that violate requirements.
• Coordinate with other Federal agencies (e.g., Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection) on matters such as animal health restrictions and refused entry lots.

Requirements

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Must be at least 18 years of age. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. Must be a US Citizen or US National. Direct Deposit is required for Federal employees. Successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination and one-year probationary period is required. Should be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.

Conditions of employment

• Training as a condition of employment (TCOE) is required. Must begin within 90 days of selection and successfully complete within 12 months.
• Successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination.
• Must be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Direct Deposit is required for Federal employees.
• May need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to appointment.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action.

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

• GS-05: At least 52 weeks of qualifying experience involving knowledge of properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs) or other ingestible substances. Experience may include applying sampling techniques, identifying abnormalities, developing written reports, and maintaining effective personal contacts. Examples include roles such as consumer safety inspector, food inspector, public health inspector, or quality inspection specialist.
• GS-07: In addition to GS-05 qualifications, one year of specialized experience at the GS-05 level. Experience should demonstrate independent performance of standard and recurrent duties, including knowledge of regulated food commodities and substances.
• GS-08: One year of specialized experience at the GS-07 level. Experience must include working with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts, verifying SSOP and HACCP plans, performing basic mathematics and statistical methods, and interpreting conclusions.
• GS-09: One year of specialized experience at the GS-08 level. Experience includes working at a more independent level, such as recommending refusal of exports and providing temporary coverage at locations outside the official duty station.

Education

• GS-05: A full 4-year bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in agricultural, biological, or physical sciences, food technology, epidemiology, home economics, pharmacy, engineering, or nutrition. OR a combination of education and specialized experience equaling 100% of the requirement.
• GS-07: One full year of directly related graduate education OR a combination of education and specialized experience equaling 100% of the requirement.
• GS-09: Two full years of directly related graduate education or a directly related master's degree OR a combination of education and specialized experience equaling 100% of the requirement.

Additional information

• This position requires a pre-employment physical. Must be physically and medically able to perform essential job functions without being a direct threat to themselves or others.
• Must have full range of motion to perform rapid repetitive twisting and working with arms above shoulder level.
• Ability to stand, walk on slippery and uneven floors and catwalks, and climb stairs and ladders.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 30 pounds, with occasional lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Manual dexterity of the upper body, including arms, hands, and fingers, with a normal sense of touch in both hands.
• Good near and distance vision, free of chronic eye disease, with correctable vision of at least 20/40 in one eye.
• Ability to distinguish shades of color. Any significant degree of color blindness (more than 25 percent error rate on approved color plate test) may be disqualifying.
• Individuals with some hearing loss and/or requiring hearing aids may be considered, subject to medical evaluation.