Inspection Specialist

Government of Alberta•Edmonton, AB

1d•CA$71,682 - CA$94,409•Onsite

About The Position

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (AGI) is responsible for the policies, legislation, regulations, programs, and services that enable Alberta’s agriculture and food sectors to flourish and contribute to Alberta’s economic recovery and growth. The ministry’s role is diverse, ranging from food safety and industry growth and diversification to increasing investment and supporting growth in rural Alberta. The Trade, Investment and Food Safety (TIFS) Division expands and diversifies Alberta’s food and bioproduct manufacturing sector in local and global markets while also providing effective food safety assurance systems. Albertans expect safe, wholesome meat products from livestock animals that have been treated with care and respect. Small to medium-sized meat processors licensed by AGI face unique challenges and require support to navigate legislation, understand and meet legislative requirements and meat facility standards, as well as to understand the strategies and supports available to assist the long-term sustainability of their businesses. Provincially licensed meat facilities play an important role in providing access to high quality locally produced meat products across Alberta, particularly in rural areas. In order to be licensed and maintain the licence, operators are required to meet specific regulatory requirements. Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (AGI) is responsible for licensing provincial abattoirs (approximately 115), on-farm slaughter operations (approximately 200), mobile butcher facilities (approximately 45) as well as mobile butchers (approximately 180). Reporting to the Licensing and Compliance Program Specialist, the Inspection Specialist – Licensing is part of a team which supports the licensing functions of the Meat and Dairy Inspection Section (MDIS). The focus of this position is conducting licensing activities and ensuring clear communication to support licence administration and regulatory compliance. The incumbent of this position will guide applicants through the licensing process, assess the applicant to ensure that they meet all requirements for licensing, and conduct assessments and compliance / enforcement action where required. Liaising with other staff and teams in MDIS and AGI is an important component of this role. A solid understanding of slaughter and meat processing facility design, equipment and food safety program requirements and the varying regulatory standards applicable is fundamental to the success of this position. Travel to rural locations throughout the year and periodic work outdoors is required. As the Licensing Specialist, your main responsibility will be to work with applicants through the licensing process, including licence application, renewal and licence administration, such as changes to licence status related to compliance with legislation and policies. This includes, but may not be limited to, the following activities: Conducting assessments of provincially licensed meat facilities operations to assess compliance to the legislation. Assessing and prioritizing non-conformances using a risk and science-based approach that prioritizes the most critical risks. Communicating with other MDIS staff regarding matters related to applicant/operator compliance and licence status. Collect and submit samples as required to support inspection, enforcement and surveillance activities. Providing technical advice for review of construction and renovation plans of meat facilities. Liaising and coordination with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that applicants and licensees are knowledgeable of compliant with relevant legislation. Participating in projects and initiatives that support the goals of the section, branch and division. Providing Incident and Emergency Response support. If you are a self-directed, detail-oriented individual with a passion for assisting people in the realms of food safety and meeting regulatory requirements, this position may be for you!

Requirements

Two (2) year technical diploma in Food Safety, Food Quality, Food Science, Microbiology, Animal Heath or other related field, plus minimum of four (4) years of directly related experience within Provincial or Federal meat inspection or the meat safety/quality industry, or equivalent as described below. Equivalence: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of 1 year of education for 1 year of experience, or 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team while demonstrating the Alberta Public Service values of respect, integrity, accountability, and excellence are essential for success in this position.
Valid Class 5 driver’s licence, a minimum of three years as a Class 5 driver, a current driver’s abstract showing no more than six demerit points, and no criminal code convictions.
Ability to work under varying field conditions including inclement weather conditions and outside when performing field assessments.
Candidate must reside within a reasonable distance (within ~ 60 km) of the Edmonton Office (J. G. O’Donoghue Building, 7000 113 St, Edmonton, AB).

Nice To Haves

Training in HACCP, food safety or food safety systems.
Extensive knowledge of food safety principles specific to slaughter and meat processing.
Experience in licensing processes.
Experience in auditing and conducting food safety and/or quality inspections or assessments.
Experience in assessing compliance to written food safety programs.
Understanding of regulatory requirements related to, food safety, animal welfare, waste disposal, building codes etc.
Inspection, root cause analysis and auditing experience including ability to analyze operation activities and identify problems and solutions.
Understanding of auditing and compliance principles.
Ability to tailor and provide information pertaining to regulation to clients with diverse food safety knowledge and experience levels.
Experience and training to dealing with challenging people (e.g. verbal judo training).

Responsibilities

Conducting assessments of provincially licensed meat facilities operations to assess compliance to the legislation.
Assessing and prioritizing non-conformances using a risk and science-based approach that prioritizes the most critical risks.
Communicating with other MDIS staff regarding matters related to applicant/operator compliance and licence status.
Collect and submit samples as required to support inspection, enforcement and surveillance activities.
Providing technical advice for review of construction and renovation plans of meat facilities.
Liaising and coordination with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that applicants and licensees are knowledgeable of compliant with relevant legislation.
Participating in projects and initiatives that support the goals of the section, branch and division.
Providing Incident and Emergency Response support.