Consumer Safety Inspector.

About the role

This position involves regulatory oversight of meat, poultry, and egg product establishments to ensure compliance with Federal food safety laws and standards. Duties include conducting inspections, verifying Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, documenting non-compliance, and initiating enforcement actions when necessary. The role also includes coordinating with other Federal agencies on matters such as animal health restrictions and refused entry lots, and performing health and safety verification sampling for contaminants like salmonella and listeria.

Responsibilities

• Execute inspection methods to determine compliance with regulatory requirements and document non-compliance, initiating enforcement action where warranted.
• Verify that meat and poultry establishments’ SSOP and HACCP plans meet regulatory requirements and are effectively executed to prevent unsanitary conditions and product adulteration.
• Review records, observe plant operations, and conduct hands-on verification to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements; prepare detailed Non-Compliance Records as needed.
• Assess whether corrective or preventative actions taken by plants are acceptable and effective, identify trends in non-compliance, and determine when enforcement action is necessary.
• Conduct regulatory oversight activities related to consumer protections, including 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.
• Defend determinations on non-compliance issues and collaborate on plans to address them; work with others to resolve problems and clarify interpretations of HACCP and food safety requirements.
• Advise other Agency inspectors, supervisors, and officers on inspection and enforcement matters.
• Perform sampling, surveys, and tests to gather data on potential problem areas, industry trends, or issues of current interest to the Agency.
• Conduct health and safety verification sampling and tests for detection of specific microbes (e.g., salmonella, listeria) and contaminants.
• Ensure that imported products comply with all applicable Federal regulations; authorize or refuse entry of meat or poultry products based on compliance.
• Coordinate with Federal agencies such as the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection on matters like animal health restrictions and refused entry lots.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Must successfully complete a one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Must successfully complete a pre-employment medical examination.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Must be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in English.

Qualifications

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

Specialized Experience

• GS-05: At least 52 weeks of experience demonstrating knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs) or other ingestible substances. Experience may include applying sampling and field testing techniques, identifying abnormalities, developing written reports, communicating findings, and ensuring conformance with food safety standards.
• GS-07: In addition to GS-05 qualifications, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05, including independently carrying out routine inspection duties, verifying SSOP and HACCP plans, and communicating findings.
• GS-08: One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07, including 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 equivalent to GS-08, including more independent duties such as recommending refusal of exports and providing temporary coverage outside the official duty station.

Education

• GS-05: A 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 totaling 100% of the requirement.
• GS-07: One year of directly related graduate education, or a combination of graduate education and specialized experience totaling 100% of the requirement.
• GS-09: Two years of directly related graduate education or a master’s degree, or a combination of graduate education and specialized experience totaling 100% of the requirement.

Additional Information

• Must be physically and medically able to perform essential job functions, including standing, walking on slippery or uneven surfaces, climbing stairs and ladders, lifting up to 30 pounds (occasionally up to 50 pounds), and having full range of motion and manual dexterity.
• Must have good near and distance vision, correctable to at least 20/40 in one eye, and the ability to distinguish shades of color; significant color blindness may be disqualifying.