Consumer Safety Inspector

Consumer Safety Inspectors may be detailed to any shift at any plant in the Des Moines District. Shifts and species will vary based on assignment.

Responsibilities

• Apply 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).
• Develop written reports and/or report findings orally (e.g., documenting abnormalities in the product or production environment and communicating those findings to others).
• Maintain effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals (e.g., discussing findings with internal or external contacts regarding food safety standards established in the production environment).
• Make determinations on products for human consumption or the production environment (e.g., ensuring conformance with established standards).
• Perform standard and recurrent duties independently, including routine and recurring assignments related to regulated food commodities.
• Work with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts to inspect meat, poultry, and egg products.
• Apply basic SSOP (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles and practices to verify plant HACCP and SSOP responsibilities.
• Perform basic mathematics and use elementary statistical concepts and methods to conduct testing and sampling procedures.
• Reach and interpret conclusions based on inspection findings.
• Recommend refusal of exports and provide temporary coverage at locations outside of the official duty station (GS-09 level).

The duties of a Consumer Safety Inspector are performed in a hazardous working environment.

Requirements

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

Qualifications

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

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 (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food/beverages for human consumption, or other ingestible substances like pharmaceuticals). Experience may include:

• Collecting samples and performing field tests/examinations.
• Developing written reports or communicating findings orally.
• Maintaining effective contacts with individuals regarding food safety standards.
• Ensuring conformance with established standards for products or production environments.

GS-07 Level

In addition to GS-05 qualifications, applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-05) performing standard and recurrent duties independently. Experience should demonstrate 52 weeks of independently carrying out routine assignments related to regulated food commodities.

GS-08 Level

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-07). Experience must include:

• Working with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts.
• Applying SSOP and HACCP principles to verify plant responsibilities.
• Performing basic mathematics and elementary statistical concepts for testing and sampling.
• Reaching and interpreting conclusions based on inspection findings.

GS-09 Level

Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-08). Experience should include working at a more independent level, such as:

• Recommending refusal of exports.
• Providing temporary coverage at locations outside the official duty station.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social).

Benefits

As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a comprehensive benefits package. FSIS offers various recruitment incentives to newly hired eligible Consumer Safety Inspectors, including:

• $5,000 Sign-On Bonus: Available to newly appointed employees.
• Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual: Calculated to determine the annual leave accrual rate.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: For more information, visit PSLF Program.
• $1,000 Employee Referral Bonus Award: Paid to employees who refer applicants hired by FSIS.