Inspector VI

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Abilene, TX

1d • $4,801 - $7,762 • Onsite

About The Position

This Meat Inspection Team Lead (Inspector V) position is posted for the MSA Circuit Abilene area and all counties served by the MSA Circuit; the headquarters assignment can be changed at any time within the state to accommodate the statewide mission and business needs of the Meat Safety Assurance Unit. Under limited supervision of the Meat Safety Assurance Unit (MSA) Circuit Manager (CM) and with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment, serves as a Meat Inspection Team Lead (MITL) of a team consisting of up to (10) in-plant meat/poultry Inspectors III, each of whom serve as an Inspector in Charge (IIC) at up to four (4 ) establishments for an total of up to sixteen (16) establishments within an extensive geographical area of the circuit. These establishments have a state or federal grant (permit/license) to perform livestock slaughter and/or produce meat/poultry products for human consumption. The MITL may be assigned to and serve as an IIC of an establishment or establishments; the MITL may be assigned to provide in-plant relief inspections of other livestock slaughter/processing establishments within the assigned circuit or in other circuits within the state. The MITL personally conducts routine inspections at livestock slaughter and meat/poultry processing establishments that have a state Grant of Custom Exemption or a State Grant of Poultry/Rabbit Exemption. The MITL (and Inspectors III) perform complex daily in-plant inspections, investigations, and quality assurance reviews at establishments with a state grant (permit/license) to perform livestock slaughter and/or meat/poultry processing operations to ensure compliance with State and Federal laws, rules/regulations, and agency policies; evaluate and review establishment procedures and implementation; and prepare and distribute reports and correspondence dealing with the results. Through the Federal/State cooperative inspection program, the MITL (and Inspectors III) perform the functions as herein described in establishments with a Grant of Inspection from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) but with MSA staffing. Safe operation of a state provided vehicle (state vehicle or rental) or personal vehicle is required to conduct state business and the employee must maintain an acceptable driving record in accordance with DSHS Policy OS-3901, Fleet Operations and Management & Procedures, and standards developed by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation; such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of all phases of livestock slaughter operations and meat/poultry processing and fabrication procedures
• Knowledge of Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), principles and application of Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP), principles and application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), humane slaughter, pathogen reduction, and other mandated quality control programs within the meat/poultry industry
• Knowledge of inspection protocols specific to a HACCP establishment environment
• Knowledge of State and Federal laws, rules, regulations, directives, notices, and other regulatory documents
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of veterinary medicine; animal and human disease prevention and control methods and procedures; zoonosis diseases and controls; food animal anatomy; epidemiology; techniques used in the collection of specimens and their testing; state and federal livestock disease control rules and regulations, methods, and practices
• Working knowledge of regulations governing safe and effective insect and rodent control
• Working knowledge of the basic rules of evidence
• Skill in conducting inspections, in determining proper courses of action, and in using instruments or tools necessary to perform inspections and collect samples
• Skill in applying basic mathematics using addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions, decimals, percentages, parts per million, and weights/measures
• Ability to prepare reports, to gather and analyze data, to interpret laws and regulations, and to train others
• Ability to rationalize clearly, to exercise sound judgment, and evaluate words and phrases commonly used on meat product labels, in technical reports and similar documents
• Ability to deal with people in a tactful manner and help them understand the full implications of the regulatory requirements found in State and Federal law, rules/regulations, and other regulatory documents
• Ability to explain proper interpretation of technical requirements pertaining to SPS, SSOP, HACCP, humane slaughter, trade labeling
• Ability to follow oral and written directions implicitly
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships and to express ideas clearly and concisely
• Ability to detect the normal from the abnormal in the inspection process
• Ability to pass a standardized color vision test
• Ability to identify sanitary deficiencies and potential disease conditions of livestock
• Ability to use the computer for word processing, spreadsheets, and email
• Must possess a valid Class C (or higher) Texas driver’s license or equivalent license from another state
• Experience in a regulatory public health job requiring: (a) direct contact and interaction with the public and coworkers; (b) planning, directing, coordinating and/or administering a project and/or program/system ; (c) reviewing and analyzing data and preparing written reports; (d) organizing, preparing, and presenting information in both verbal and written format; (e) use of computers for database management, word processing, spreadsheets, on-line training, and electronic mail (e-mail) programs
• Graduation from an accredited high school or GED equivalent is required
• On the date of application, the applicant has satisfactorily completed a Food Safety Regulatory Essentials (FSRE) or Inspection Methods class, or state equivalent training.

Nice To Haves

• Certification for Enforcement Investigations and Analysis Officer (EIAO) Training is preferred but not required. If the incumbent is not EIAO qualified, there is an expectation that the incumbent will obtain the certification at the first available opportunity at State expense.
• Experience interpreting and using municipal, county, state, and/or federal ordinances, rules, regulations, statutes, laws, and/or other legal requirements
• Experience applying municipal, county, state, and/or federal ordinances, rules, regulations, statutes, laws, and/or other legal requirements for issuing a license/permit (or equivalent) to persons/establishments to conduct a business, profession, or similar activity
• Experience applying municipal, county, state, and/or federal ordinances, rules, regulations, statutes, laws, and/or other legal requirements for issuing a grant/license/permit to persons/establishments to conduct food and/or livestock slaughter and meat/poultry processing
• Experience with database management software such as Public Health Information System (PHIS) inspection software or equivalent
• Experience in implementing and coordinating a system for scheduling, collecting, analyzing, and reporting results of samples from production of products
• Four (4) or more years of combined regulatory public health experience in a municipal/county/state/federal food and/or meat and/or poultry inspection program since January 1, 2000.
• Graduated with a degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in a field relevant to the assignment (for example, Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Science, etc.). The hiring supervisor may also consider this degree as up to one (1) year of experience for the applicant.
• Graduated with an advanced degree from an accredited graduate and/or post-graduate college or university in a field relevant to the assignment (for example, Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Science, etc.). The hiring supervisor may also consider this degree as up to one (1) year of experience for the applicant.
• Successfully completed training on humane livestock slaughter and meat and poultry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), Pathogen reduction, Humane Slaughter.
• Successfully completed training on Food Safety Assessment (FSA.)

Responsibilities

• Serves as a Meat Inspection Team Lead (MITL) of a meat inspection team. The team may consist of up to ten (10) in-plant meat/poultry Inspectors III each of whom serve as an Inspector in Charge (IIC) at up to four (4) establishments for an approximate total of up to sixteen (16) establishments within an extensive geographical area of the circuit that have a state or federal grant to perform livestock slaughter and/or produce meat/poultry products for human consumption.
• Research policy, rules, regulations, directives, notices, and other regulatory documents regarding proper identification and disposition of non-compliances noted during inspections.
• Coaches, facilitates, solves work problems, and participates in the work of the team.
• In coordination with the Circuit Manager, schedules and assigns inspection locations to team members.
• Correlates with team members on conducting inspection procedures in a timely manner and in accordance with State and Federal law, rules, regulations, directives, notices and other regulatory documents.
• Evaluates Noncompliance Records (NR) and other inspection related procedures and documentation prepared by team IIC for accuracy and legal content.
• Ensures that all required documentation is accurate, complete, concise, understandable, legible, and timely.
• Provides technical assistance and correlation to team IIC in assessing the adequacy of establishments’ compliance with Humane Slaughter, Sanitation Performance Standards (SPS), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Recall Plan, pathogen reduction systems, and other regulatory procedures.
• Identifies training needs and informs Circuit management.
• Mediates disputes between team members and between team members and establishment management.
• Prepares reports and maintains records of teamwork accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinates the preparation, presentation, and communication of work-related information to Circuit management.
• Reports to the Circuit Manager periodically on team and individual work accomplishments, problems, progress in mastering tasks and work processes, and individual and team training needs.
• Intercedes on behalf of the team to inform the Circuit Manager of performance management issues/problems and to recommend/request related actions, such as assignments, reassignments, promotions, tour of duty changes, peer reviews, and performance appraisals.
• Conducts routine inspections at livestock slaughter and meat/poultry processing establishments with a State Grant of Custom Exemption or a State Grant of Poultry/Rabbit Exemption within the team’s area of responsibility; may assist/provide relief for other MITL in conducting similar inspections in the other MITL’s area of responsibility.
• Reports egregious violations and noncompliance's immediately to circuit management; otherwise, provides routine reports in a timely manner.
• Functions as an In-Plant IIC and/or relief inspector as directed.
• Evaluates livestock slaughter and/or meat/poultry processing establishment(s) to determine continuous compliance with all applicable State and Federal laws, rules, and regulations.
• Performs ante- and post-mortem procedures in livestock slaughter establishments and/or monitors/verifies processing activities in meat/poultry processing establishments; ensures compliance with humane slaughter requirements; performs daily sanitation inspections (pre-operation & during operation), scheduled and/or unscheduled inspection tasks; verifies establishment’s food safety systems (e.g., SPS; SSOP; HACCP systems; other prerequisite plans) as implemented in inspected facilities.
• Identifies all establishment regulatory noncompliance(s) and properly documents them on Noncompliance Record (NR).
• Prepares and submits technical reports outlining violations of regulations using word processing, spreadsheets, the internet, and email.
• Assures that all DSHS and MSA required documentation is accurate, concise, and timely.
• Maintains establishment files in accordance with MSA procedures.
• Monitors establishment microbiological sampling systems and collects tissue samples for mandated State microbiological, residue, and economic sampling programs.
• Documents and prepares collected samples and submits them in a timely manner to the appropriate designated laboratory.
• Evaluates formulae and methods used in preparing meat/poultry products pertaining to their potential as a vehicle for transmission of disease or disease producing organisms or their toxins.
• Makes recommendations concerning the compliance of labels using mathematical and analytical analysis where required.
• Recognizes zoonotic diseases, reports them to the appropriate authority, and may participate in their investigation.
• Promotes public education on sanitary practices through individual contacts and/or civic or other public meetings.
• Actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation; such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.
• Safely operates a personal vehicle or state-owned vehicle to conduct state business in accordance with DSHS Policy OS-3901, Fleet Operations and Management & Procedures, and Texas motor vehicle, traffic, and driving licensing law.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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