Food Inspector (Slaughter)

Help Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Selectee may be subject to satisfactory completion of a one-year probationary or trial period.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Must pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 every Federal employee is required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of that employee's choosing.
• Should be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.
• This is a Bargaining Unit position covered by the National Joint Council (NJC) of Food Inspection Locals.
  
  

Qualifications

The duties of a Food Inspector are performed in a hazardous working environment. To experience what it's like to work in a slaughter plant as a Food Inspector, please click here. For additional information about training, please click here. The below requirements are not an all-inclusive list. Failure to fully meet a functional requirement is not automatically disqualifying.

Applicants Must

• Be physically and medically able to efficiently perform the essential job functions, without being a direct threat 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 climb 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.
• Have good near and distance vision, be free of chronic eye disease and have correctable vision of at least 20/40 in one eye.
• Have the ability to distinguish shades of color. Any significant degree of color blindness (more than 25 percent 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.
  
  

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.

For the GS-5 level: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience that must demonstrate the applicant's knowledge, judgment, interpretive ability, and technical skill associated with the production of a finished product which meets all prescribed standards of quality and confirms with approved production methods. Such experience may have been gained in the following:

• Experience in a slaughter or processing plant, or a comparable manufacturing or production activity which prepares food for human consumption. This experience must demonstrate skills in sorting good from bad; applying, interpreting, and explaining standards, making decisions, and communicating with others.
• Experience as a meat cutter/butcher in a wholesale or retail meat/poultry business, provided a full range of responsible duties are performed such as cutting or butchering, sanitation, dealing with customers, meeting customer standards, use of judgment, interpretation of various requirements, and sorting acceptable from unacceptable.
• Quality control or laboratory analytical experience in the food industry or other similar production environments. An example of qualifying experience may be a Veterinary Technician conducting lab tests, assessing animals and/or partial examination of animals, performing necropsies, monitoring animals under anesthesia and administering medications.
• Supervisory responsibilities in the food or livestock industry, which demonstrates the applicant applied and has effective skills in communicating job requirements, evaluating results of work methods or processes, applying instructions, and interpreting standards or regulations. Responsibility for management or supervision of a full scale commercial or industrial livestock or poultry enterprise.
• Commercial restaurant or kitchen chef or cook responsible for proper food preparation, safe food handling and sanitation practices and judgment recognizing abnormalities in food.
  
  

OR

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in an accredited college or university that included at least 12 semester hours in biological, physical, mathematical, or agricultural sciences. If you are qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your transcripts when you apply; failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating. If you are selected for a position, official transcripts must be sent directly from your college, in paper form in a sealed envelope or in a secure, certified official electronic format to our Minneapolis Human Resource Operations Division prior to reporting for duty.

Note: Education is not creditable for positions above the GS-5 level.

For the GS-7 level: For positions above GS-5, applicants must have demonstrated one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression in the organization in which the position is being filled.

Specialized experience is regulatory food inspection work which involved either ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of red meat animals, poultry, fish, or seafood; or inspection of production of processed products involving red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or egg products.

This Experience Must Have Demonstrated

• Knowledge of general sanitation practices, laws, and regulations governing the food industry
• Knowledge of Federal laws and regulations pertaining to fitness of red meat animals, poultry, fish, or seafood for human consumption; or knowledge of Federal laws and regulations applicable to the processing of red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or egg products; and
• Ability to communicate effectively with supervisors and workers in the food industry.
  
  

The resume you provide must demonstrate the required experience as referenced in the announcement or you will be rated as ineligible for GS-7.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.

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.

Education

See above, there is no education substitution for GS-7.

Additional information

THIS POSITION REQUIRES A PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL: Position Requirements.

Assignment Restrictions: FSIS Directive 4735.9, Office of Field Operations Assignment Restrictions and Rules on Gifts from Regulated Industry FSIS Directive 4735.9 Revision 2 (usda.gov), sets out the Agency's specific procedures regarding ethical employee conduct related to employee assignment restrictions and gifts from regulated establishments. Please click on this link and read directive prior to applying.

Recruitment incentives are offered based on agency staffing needs and budgetary availability; service agreements apply. For detailed incentive information see: Career Profiles | FSIS.

FSIS is pleased to offer a $5,000 sign on bonus paid out in one lump sum payment. This recruitment incentive requires a signed two-year service agreement, as well as satisfactory performance and conduct. The service agreement details conditions of receipt and acceptance of the incentive and is provided to new employees prior to entrance on duty. Funds will be collected for any periods of uncompleted service.

Selectees may be eligible for Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual (CSALA)

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information please visit: PSLF Program.

The position advertised offers a referral bonus award of $1,000. More than one award may be given subject to criteria being met. Current FSIS employees may be eligible for this award if they refer an applicant who later enters on duty and works at least 90 days with successful performance and conduct. The referred employee will have an opportunity to list the referring employee during the application process. There are some required restrictions on this award. Ineligible employees include: 1. Employees whose regular, recurring jobs include the recruitment of new employees. 2. Employees who are otherwise excluded from receiving Achievement Awards; 3. Selecting officials or other persons associated with the selection process of the referred employee; and 4. Any of the following relatives of the referred employee: Spouse, or parents thereof; Children, including stepchildren and adopted children, and spouses thereof; Parents, including stepparents; Siblings, including stepsiblings, and spouses thereof; Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.

This position may be eligible for the Food Inspector (FI) Accelerated Promotion Program. This program makes exceptions to the time-in-grade and qualification requirements to allow a single accelerated career ladder promotion to a GS-7 in less than one year. A mandatory training plan must be successfully completed before an individual is eligible to be promoted under this program.

Read more

• Help Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.