MEAT & POULTRY INSPECTOR - CIRCUIT 3-2 (MCLEAN CO.) Target title for 59621

State of Illinois•Springfield, MO

16h

About The Position

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is seeking a Meat and Poultry Inspector for McLean County Circuit 3-2. This regional position helps protect the food production system and ensure the production of safe, wholesome meat and poultry products. The Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection works to ensure meat and poultry product quality and annually examines more than 400 establishments that provide wholesale meat or meat products for human consumption. The inspector works under general supervision in state and/or federal plants. The position is based operationally from the employee’s home location to serve designated worksites, with reporting to the Springfield headquarters as needed. The employee must reside in McLean, Woodford, Tazewell, DeWitt, Piatt, or Logan County. Work is generally Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though daily hours may vary. Overtime, including evening and weekend work, may be required. The role requires completion of an agency-approved meat and poultry inspection training program, the ability to travel, and the ability to meet the listed physical and working-condition requirements. The position is represented by a union, and the applicable collective bargaining agreement governs its terms. The agency offers a benefits package that includes insurance, paid leave, and a pension plan.

Requirements

Knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to high school; coursework in algebra, biology, or chemistry is preferred.
Successful completion of an agency-approved meat and poultry inspection training program.
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.
Appropriate, valid driver’s license.
Ability to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime, and to work evenings and weekends when required.
Residency in McLean, Woodford, Tazewell, DeWitt, Piatt, or Logan County.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds at a time and frequently lift or carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
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 express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing to explain regulations and inspection results and prepare inspection reports and records.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of antemortem and postmortem inspection methods and techniques for meat-producing animals and poultry.
Working knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations governing meat and poultry inspection and processing.
Working knowledge of additives and preservatives used in meat and poultry processing.
Experience conducting antemortem and postmortem inspections of animals, poultry, carcasses, and parts to determine the presence or absence of disease or abnormal conditions.
Experience removing, dissecting, and analyzing animal glands, organs, and parts for signs of obvious disease.
Elementary knowledge of computer hardware and software.
Experience operating a computer and agency software and database applications.
Experience analyzing processing procedures and formulations to determine compliance with laws and regulations.

Responsibilities

Perform processing inspections in state and/or federal plants on fresh, smoked, cured, or cooked meat and poultry products.
Conduct antemortem and postmortem inspections of animals and/or poultry in state and/or federal plants.
Inspect plant processing procedures daily, including product formulations and labeling.
Submit product samples for laboratory analysis to determine compliance with laws and regulations.
Perform other duties reasonably within the scope of the listed duties.