Agricultural Commodity Grader I

State of Maryland • Anne Arundel, MD

20h • Onsite

About The Position

The Maryland Department of Agriculture, a department under Maryland's Executive Branch, was formed in 1972 to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland. The Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services (including marketing and lab services), plant and pest management, and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continues to expand and grow. The Food Quality Assurance Program consists of four sections that conduct a variety of inspections, audits, registrations, and certifications of agricultural commodities and facilities to provide consumers with safe, high-quality agricultural food products while maintaining fair trade practices and enhancing product marketability for the agricultural industry. All activities of this Program are funded through fees charged to producers, processors, and wholesalers. This position is emergency essential, on a rotating shift and must have flexibility to work various day or night shifts. Day shift is typically 7:00 am-5:00 pm and Night Shift could be from 4:30 pm-3:30am. U.S. Citizenship is required to obtain required USDA licensing. This position selects and evaluates samples of poultry, as a resident grader and relief grader to certify compliance with established standards for grade, weight, labeling, and buyer specifications. Accurate and impartial certification provides a standard description that promotes the uniform marketing of poultry and ensures buyer satisfaction.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• One year of successful progressively responsible technical experience in a phase of sampling, testing, marketing, grading, or inspecting agricultural products.
• U.S. Citizenship is required to obtain required USDA licensing.
• Employees in this classification will be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.
• Employees in this classification must obtain the appropriate commodity grader license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture, after a period of training, and within three months of appointment.
• Employees will be expected to complete all required training to maintain license and professional standards.
• This position requires work that may involve exposure to temperature extremes, odors, and repetitive motion, including outdoor inspections conducted in all types of weather conditions.
• Work may be performed in potentially hazardous environments, including areas with chemicals, heavy machinery, and slippery floors.
• The position involves physical demands such as lifting cases of eggs and poultry, extensive walking through agricultural fields, and climbing ladders to obtain grain samples.
• Employees are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, hard hat, safety shoes, rubber gloves, biosecurity protective gear, and a hairnet.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working on a farm or ranch, including internships and volunteer work.
• Experience interpreting and applying State and/or Federal agricultural or food safety regulations, such as National Organic Program regulations, Produce Safety Rule, and Good Agricultural Practices regulations.

Responsibilities

• Select, evaluate, and document results for samples of poultry accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with established standards.
• Evaluate safety hazards, document findings, and take appropriate action in accordance with established standards and procedures.
• Retain product or prohibit processing of USDA shielded product based on safety hazards, labeling, and/or sampling results and maintain control of retained product.
• Review documents, regulations, procedure updates, memos, specifications, etc. from Maryland Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, and other agencies; maintain files/handbooks; initiate action to implement as required.
• Complete and submit required documents (certificates, volume reports, time sheets, work assignment sheets, charge sheets, etc.) accurately and in accordance with established requirements.
• Effectively communicate with plant management, MDA supervisor and other MDA employees, industry personnel/management, wholesale, retail and food service management, federal supervisors, consumers, etc. concerning regulations, technical grading standards, procedures, and non-compliances.
• Provide prompt and dependable coverage of assigned shifts and other duties as assigned in accordance with established procedures.
• Provide effective training and education concerning poultry standards & quality factors (in accordance with program goals and needs) to plant employees and other MDA employees as requested by plant management, MDA supervisors or USDA supervisors in accordance with regulations, and to students and the general public at public fairs, seminars for industry, etc.
• Successfully complete available training to maintain professional standards in accordance with the training plan.
• Oversee and coordinate grading activities at poultry processing plants to ensure specification requirements are met.

Benefits

• Subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents (75% paid by the State of Maryland).
• Option to enroll in dental coverage.
• Option to enroll in accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Option to enroll in life insurance.
• Leave granted at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED