Meat & Poultry Inspector Trainee - Circuit 2-2 (Grundy Co.)

State of Illinois•Springfield, MO

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is hiring a Meat and Poultry Inspector Trainee for Circuit 2-2. The role supports the Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection in ensuring the quality and safety of meat and poultry products. The bureau annually examines more than 400 establishments that provide wholesale meat or meat products for human consumption. Under direct supervision, the trainee completes an agency-sponsored training program lasting six to twelve months. Training includes orientation, classroom instruction, and on-the-job instruction in animal and poultry slaughter and meat and poultry processing, as well as controlled assignments supervised by veterinary and supervisory personnel. The trainee learns inspection techniques and procedures used to maintain state and federal standards and performs inspections at assigned sites. This is a regional position. The employee must reside in Grundy, LaSalle, or Kendall County and use their home location as the base of daily operational headquarters for assigned worksites. Reporting to the Springfield headquarters is required as operational needs dictate. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with hours subject to variation. Overtime, including evenings and weekends, may be required.

Requirements

Knowledge, skills, 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 pre-employment physical.
Ability to travel in the performance of duties.
Possess an appropriate, valid driver’s license.
Ability to work overtime, including evenings and weekends, when requested or 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.
Reside in Grundy, LaSalle, or Kendall County.
Ability to tolerate unpleasant odors in slaughterhouses and meat preparation areas, extreme cold in meat lockers, and heat in processing areas.
Ability 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 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 of animals, poultry, carcasses, or meat and poultry products.
Elementary knowledge of identifying adulterated products.

Responsibilities

Participate in an agency-sponsored training program, including orientation, classroom instruction, and on-the-job training in slaughter and meat and poultry processing.
Learn techniques and procedures used in meat and poultry inspection to maintain state and federal standards.
Complete controlled assignments under close supervision of veterinary and supervisory personnel.
Travel to worksites and perform inspections.
Under close supervision, conduct antemortem inspections of live animals and/or poultry before slaughter to identify conditions indicating abnormalities or disease.
Complete the Employee Development Guide for basic meat inspection and the Department of Agriculture’s slaughter and processing training courses.
Attend and participate in workshops, meetings, institutes, and other activities that provide learning experiences for meat and poultry inspection.
Perform other duties as required or assigned within the scope of the position.