Senior Inspector

About the role

Inspector VII- Performs highly advanced monitoring and coordination of meat and poultry inspection operations for state inspected meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments in the state of Texas. Consults and conducts outreach activities with the general public, granted establishments, custom exempt establishments, educational institutions, meat industry representatives, local and state government officials, health care professionals, and Meat Safety Assurance (MSA) program staff on all aspects of meat and poultry inspection and food safety. Coordinates with meat and poultry programs, university partners and the meat industry in the development of training and educational initiatives. Assists in maintaining the Texas State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program in a status that is at least equal to the inspection program conducted nation-wide by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety inspection Service.

Responsibilities

• Performs highly advanced consultations and conducts outreach for the general public, granted establishments, custom exempt establishments, meat industry representatives, local and state government officials, health care professionals, and MSA program staff on all aspects of meat and poultry inspection and food safety.
• Coordinates responses to telephone and email inquiries pertaining to the Federal and State meat inspection requirements.
• Participate in conferences and make presentations as a representative of Meat Safety Assurance (MSA) within the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
• Coordinate the design and participate in training programs for MSA inspection staff.
• Coordinate presentation of training for new procedures and processes to MSA inspection and managerial staff as well as out of state meat inspection personnel; may develop and present training to meat and poultry industry personnel and to state and local regulatory officials.
• Represent MSA with federal, state, and local agencies or groups; plan activities, report on program participation and responsibility.
• Review and assist with the design and implementation of SSOP, HACCP plans, prerequisite programs, associated records and supporting documentation, Intensified Verification testing, Routine Listeria monocytogenes testing, and Ready to Eat product Salmonella and Listeria testing programs to assist new grant applicants and existing grant holders.
• Update and maintenance of the MSA Consumer Guide.
• Work with MSA Circuit Managers onboarding new grant applicants through the new facility 59i process.
• Promote and maintain the ASKMSA@dshs.texas.gov function and use it as a tool to standardize the approach of food safety throughout the program.
• Conducts advanced outreach and coordination of meat and poultry inspection operations at state inspected meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments located throughout the state of Texas.
• Coverage of additional shifts up to 40% may be required.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of all phases of meat inspection to include slaughter operations, processing, meat fabrication procedures and ready to eat products.
• Thorough knowledge of State and Federal laws, rules, regulations, and directives pertaining to meat and poultry operations and products, including the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection Act and Code of Federal Regulations.
• Thorough knowledge of operation principles of the meat industry, including Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), Sanitary Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), the regulatory process for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) based inspections, Pathogen Reduction and Control.
• Knowledge of the Public Health Information System (PHIS).
• Thorough knowledge of microbiological and economic sampling procedures of meat and poultry products and slaughter and/or processing environments.
• Knowledge of responsibilities of federal and state agencies with overlapping authority.
• Ability to communicate intelligently but effectively with program staff, regulated industry, trade associations, the legislature, the media, and the public.
• Ability to communicate effectively; establish and maintain working relationships; and interact with professionals at all levels of government and industry.
• Ability to function as a project team leader and/or as a member of a team.

Qualifications

• A valid Class C (or higher) Texas driver's license or equivalent license from another state.
• Successful completion of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) Inspection Methods training course or equivalent is preferred and required within 6 months of hire.
• Successful completion of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) Enforcement, Investigation, and Analysis Officer training course or equivalent is preferred and required within 12 months of hire.
• Graduation with a degree from an accredited graduate and/or post-graduate school or university in a field relevant to the assignment.
• Other food safety experience including, but not limited to, military service in food safety.

Skills

• Communicate intelligently but effectively with program staff, regulated industry, trade associations, the legislature, the media, and the public.
• Problem solving, critical thinking, conducting investigations, basic rules of evidence, and determining proper courses of action.
• Organize and prioritize work, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Use a computer with Microsoft Office package for word processing, spreadsheets, TEAMs, on-line computer training, and remote mail programs.
• Organize, prepare, and present information in both verbal and written form.
• Negotiate effectively with a wide variety of people under occasionally extreme circumstances (anger, frustration, etc.) to obtain voluntary compliance.
• Public speaking, correlation, and training.
• Apply basic mathematics using addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions, decimals, percentages, parts per million, and weights/measures.

Benefits

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS).