Consumer Safety Inspector

This announcement will remain open until 07/13/2020. It will be used to collect applications and fill vacant positions as they become available in the Des Moines District. Cut-off dates for referral to hiring managers for selection consideration will be established as needed by the agency. When a request is received to fill a vacant CSI in a specific geographic location a list of the qualified applicants interested in that location will be sent to the hiring manager for further consideration.

Qualifications:

You must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the experience that would have been gained if working in this position or a similar, closely related position at the next lower level by the closing date of this announcement or the appropriate education substitution. See specialized experience definitions below.

Specialized experience:

For all grade levels:
This experience should encompass at least two of the following areas:

• Skill in applying proper techniques for collecting samples and performing field tests and examinations,
• Skill in developing written reports and reporting findings or results orally,
• Skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the appropriate experience requirements.

For the GS-05 Level: At least 52 weeks of qualifying experience gained under close supervision that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food for human consumption, and other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals. This experience should include several or all of the following: Skill in applying proper techniques for collecting samples and performing field tests and examinations, skill in developing written reports and reporting findings or results orally, and skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals. Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aid, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.

For the GS-07 Level: In addition to the qualifications above, incumbents are expected to perform standard and recurrent duties on an independent basis. Your resume should demonstrate at least 52 weeks of experience in independently carrying out routine, standard assignments on a regular and recurring basis that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food for human consumption, and other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals.

Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aide, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Please view OPM's Qualifications Standards, Consumer Safety Inspector Series, GS-1862.

The duties of a Consumer Safety Inspector are performed in a hazardous working environment. For additional information, please click here. The below requirements are not an all-inclusive list.

Applicants must:

• Be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the job functions, without hazard to themselves and others.
• Have full range of motion to perform rapid repetitive twisting and working with arms above shoulder level.
• Be able to stand and walk on slippery and uneven floors and catwalks, and climbing stairs and ladders.
• Be able to lift, carry, push and pull up to 30 pounds, with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds.
• Have manual dexterity of the upper body, including arms, hands, and fingers with a normal sense of touch in both hands.
• Must have good near and distance vision, be free of chronic eye disease and have correctable vision of at least 20/30 in one eye.
• Have the ability to distinguish shades of color. Any significant degree of color blindness (25 percent or more error rate on approved color plate test) may be disqualifying.
• Individuals with some hearing loss and/or requiring hearing amplification will be assessed on a case by case basis.