Meat Laboratory Assistant Manager

About the Role

Trains, coordinates, and supervises student employees with emphasis on poultry and red meat slaughter, fabrication, value-added processing, and product sales. Instructs student employees on and enforces safety rules. Assists with operational and recordkeeping of sanitation standard operating procedures, HACCP monitoring and verification, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), MDA and USDA codes and regulations for the entire meat lab.

Provides direction and supervision during the slaughter process of all species to supply meat products for classroom laboratories, extension activities, and data collection for research. Computes calculations of weights and measures in processed meat recipes. Merchandises wholesale, retail, and processed red meat and poultry products. Supervises product sales in accordance with department and University policies and procedures.

Assists in maintaining weight, price, and disposition information of all animals, meat, and by-products in accordance with the Packers and Stockyards Act (scale maintenance and certification). Works with USDA inspectors, faculty, and graduate students to meet classroom and research needs under USDA sanitation standards. Assists in supervising and inspecting equipment and facilities and recommends service, repair, and certification. Assists with classroom activities as time permits.

Responsibilities

• Train and supervise student employees in slaughter, cutting, processing, and merchandising of livestock and poultry.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure compliance with sanitation standard operating procedures, HACCP, GMPs, and USDA regulations.
• Oversee slaughter processes to provide meat products for classrooms, extension activities, and research.
• Compute weights and measures for processed meat recipes.
• Merchandise and supervise sales of wholesale, retail, and processed meat products.
• Maintain records of animal weights, prices, and disposition per the Packers and Stockyards Act.
• Collaborate with USDA inspectors, faculty, and graduate students to meet research and classroom needs.
• Inspect equipment and facilities; recommend repairs, service, and certification.
• Assist with classroom activities, demonstrations, and facility tours.
• Interact with the public to solicit customers for meat products.

Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that typically acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in meat science, animal science, food science, or a related field. One to three years of related and progressively responsible work experience in animal handling, slaughtering, meat cutting, processing, and merchandising; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Physical Demands

• Mildly disagreeable working conditions involving exposure to cold temperatures and noisy environments.
• Heavy physical exertion, including lifting and carrying large sections of meat weighing over 75 pounds.
• Frequent reaching and bending (26 to 75% of the time).

Work Hours

Standard 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM schedule.