Meat & Poultry Inspector #00254

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Shenandoah County, Virginia, VA

7d•$49,932 - $64,680•Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is seeking a candidate for the position of Meat and Poultry Inspector with the Office of Meat and Poultry Services (OMPS). This position is required to provide inspection coverage in Shenandoah County, Virginia and surrounding areas within the Harrisonburg, Virginia region and may be required to provide coverage in other areas based on agency needs. The successful candidate will be required to live in or convenient to said inspection area. Duties include conducting ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections; verification of the food safety systems in assigned meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities; enforcement of the Humane Handling Act; collection of official samples; and entering data for inspection reports. OMPS Inspector’s enforce the Federal Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act, and related state regulations. This position includes daily travel to assigned facilities, with regular weekend coverage, occasional overtime, and holidays, and may involve rotating shifts. Occasional travel throughout Virginia for a mobile slaughter unit is also required and may involve additional travel. This position also involves considerable physical activity. A state car will be assigned for business use only and must remain parked within the assigned territory.

Requirements

HS Diploma/GED required
Ability to interpret and enforce regulatory compliance by evaluating findings to support conclusions
Ability to work independently without direct supervision
Effective oral and written communication skills
Ability to accurately prepare technical reports
Excellent customer service skills
Computer proficiency
Experience using standard business office software applications
Ability to recognize animal characteristics and behavior
Ability to perform humane handling of animals
Ability to identify abnormal conditions while conducting inspection procedures
Position is physically demanding and requires long periods of standing, walking, and driving long distances
Requires the ability to distinguish colors and odors
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds on a regular basis
Exposure to work in environments with extreme temperature changes (hot and cold), high noise levels, and wet and slippery floors
Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license with a driving record that reflects a sense of responsibility for highway safety
Must meet requirements for federal compliance certification within the first twelve months of employment

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the meat and poultry slaughter and processing operations (training is provided)
A combination of related education, training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledge, skills, and abilities to include knowledge of animal science, agriculture, food science/microbiology or a related field
Related work experience in the field of agriculture and/or the enforcement and interpretation of government regulations
A working knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles as applied to the meat industry
Meat/poultry processing work experience

Responsibilities

Conducting ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections
Verification of the food safety systems in assigned meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities
Enforcement of the Humane Handling Act
Collection of official samples
Entering data for inspection reports
Enforce the Federal Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act, and related state regulations