MEAT & POULTRY INSPECTOR TRAINEE - CIRCUIT 4-1 (SANGAMON CO)
About The Position
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is hiring a Meat and Poultry Inspector Trainee for Circuit 4-1. In this regional role, the trainee helps protect the food production system by supporting inspection of meat and poultry establishments and ensuring products meet state and federal standards. The Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection annually examines more than 400 establishments that provide wholesale meat or meat products for human consumption. The trainee completes an agency-sponsored training program lasting six to twelve months, including orientation, classroom instruction, and on-the-job training in animal and poultry slaughter and meat and poultry processing. Under close supervision, the trainee receives controlled assignments, learns inspection techniques and procedures, and performs antemortem inspections of live animals and/or poultry for signs of abnormalities or disease. The trainee must complete the Employee Development Guide for basic meat inspection and the Department’s slaughter and processing training courses. The position requires travel to designated worksites and attendance at workshops, meetings, institutes, and other learning activities. It is a regional position requiring residency in Sangamon, Christian, Logan, or Macon County. The employee uses their home location as the base of daily operational headquarters and reports to the Springfield headquarters as operational needs require. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., although hours may vary and overtime, including evenings and weekends, may be required.
Requirements
- Knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to high school; courses in algebra, biology, or chemistry are preferred.
- Complete a name-based background screening and self-disclose criminal history.
- Successfully pass a preemployment physical.
- Ability to travel in the performance of duties and possess an appropriate, valid driver’s license.
- Ability to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime, and to work evenings and weekends when required.
- Ability to perform medium work, including lifting up to 50 pounds at a time and frequently lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Residency in Sangamon, Christian, Logan, or Macon County.
- Ability to tolerate unpleasant odors in slaughterhouses and meat preparation areas, extreme cold in meat lockers, and heat in processing areas, and to use safety practices around dangerous meat-cutting and processing machinery.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing, to explain regulations and inspection results and prepare inspection reports and records.
Nice To Haves
- Education beyond high school, preferably an associate, bachelor’s, or advanced degree.
- A bachelor’s or advanced degree in science or agriculture.
- Experience in butchering, slaughtering, and/or processing animals for food.
- Experience observing postmortem examinations of animals.
- Working knowledge of Hazard Analysis–Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans.
- Experience completing HACCP records.
- Working knowledge of sanitation and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP).
- Elementary knowledge of diseases or abnormal conditions in animals, poultry, carcasses, or meat and poultry products.
- Elementary knowledge of identifying adulterated products.
Responsibilities
- Participate in a six-to-twelve-month agency-sponsored training program involving orientation, classroom instruction, and on-the-job training in animal and poultry slaughter and meat and poultry processing.
- Learn and apply meat and poultry inspection techniques and procedures to maintain state and federal standards.
- Complete controlled assignments under close supervision of veterinary and supervisory personnel.
- Travel to worksites to perform inspections.
- Under close supervision, conduct antemortem inspections of live animals and/or poultry for conditions indicative of abnormalities or disease.
- Complete the Employee Development Guide for basic meat inspection and the Department’s slaughter and processing training courses.
- Attend and participate in workshops, meetings, institutes, and other activities that provide learning experiences relevant to meat and poultry inspection.
- Perform other duties as required or assigned that are reasonably within the scope of the position.
Benefits
- Health, life, vision, and dental insurance.
- 12 weeks of paid maternity/paternity leave.
- Pension plan.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
- Deferred Compensation and other pre-tax benefit programs.
- 12 paid sick days annually.
- 10 to 25 paid vacation days based on years of service.
- Three paid personal days, prorated based on start date.
- 13 to 14 paid state holidays annually.
- Flexible work schedules in many program areas.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
