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Food
Inspector - Sudlersville, MD
US Department
of Agriculture
Job
details
Salary
$39,684 - $65,621 a year
Job Type
Full-time
Full Job Description
Duties
Summary
This announcement will remain open until 05/26/2021.
It will be used to collect applications and fill vacant positions as they
become available in the Raleigh District. Cut-off dates for referral to
hiring managers will be established as needed by the agency. When
a request is received to fill a vacant Food Inspector 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.
Responsibilities
- Examine food animals in privately-owned
meat or poultry plants.
- Perform their duties before and after
slaughter, guaranteeing that the product is not contaminated.
- Maintain sanitation procedures.
- Play a role as a valued member of a
dynamic team that ensures the product is fit to eat and compliant with
Federal laws.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this
position.
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
7
1863 Food Inspection
Requirements
Conditions
of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Must be at least 16 years of age.
- Male applicants born after December 31,
1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective
Service Registration.
- Successful completion of a
pre-employment medical examination.
- Selectee must be able to obtain and
maintain a NACI security clearance. If selected you may be subject to a
National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI).
- Selectee may be subject to satisfactory
completion of a one year probationary or trial period.
- 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.
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 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.
- 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. Your
application or resume must clearly show that you possess the appropriate
experience requirements.
For the GS-5 level: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of
specialized experience that was obtained after your 16th birthday. Qualifying
specialized experience 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 conforms
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 or 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.
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.
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.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.
Education
For the GS-5 level: 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.
For the GS-7 level:Education is not
creditable for positions at the GS-7 level.
Additional
information
- Shifts, activities, travel and overtime
requirements will vary by individual vacancy.
- The USDA Food Safety and Inspection
Services has authority to recruit and fill Permanent
(Career/Career-Conditional) positions under Direct Hire Authority.
Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.
- Pay rates vary depending on location and
may be higher or lower than the amount shown. Please visit the Office
of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay
rates.
- This is a Bargaining Unit position
covered by the National Joint Council (NJC) of Food Inspection Locals.
- This position has the potential for
mandatory overtime, weekend and holiday work, variable tours of duty,
travel and other work life challenges.
- Promotion Potential: If you are selected
for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed
under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted
if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by
management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
- This announcement may be used to fill
additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty
location(s).
- If you are retired from the Federal
Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity
may be offset from your pay.
- Career Transition Assistance Plan
(CTAP), Reemployed Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career
Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for
this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility
requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be
rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an
evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated
section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method,
CTAP/ICTAP applications must receive a rating of at least 70 out of a
possible 100.
- E-Verify: Federal law requires agencies
to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility for
all new hires. If you are selected as a newly hired employee, the
documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be
verified through the DHS E-VERIFY system. Under the system, the new
hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition
of continued employment.
- 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.
- Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center
at 202-720-2600 (voice
and TDD).
- It is the policy of the Government not
to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or
has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the
individual. See more information at: CHCO Council.
- Please click Veterans Policy for further
information about veteran specific hiring options.
How You Will
Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you
meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you
meet the qualifications above.
The Office of Personnel Management has granted Direct Hire Authority for FSIS
Food Inspector (Slaughter) positions. There is a critical hiring need and
these positions play an important role in protecting the nation's food
supply.
Due to the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), applicants are not rated and
ranked numerically, and Veteran's preference does not apply. Applicants
are strongly encouraged to provide complete information about their
job-related experience and education. Your resume must document that you meet
the Qualification Requirements detailed above. Applicants who meet the
minimum qualification requirements established for the position and
geographic location selected will be placed in the Eligible category.
Although Veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the DHA
for this position, applicants are still encouraged to provide documentation
related to veteran's preference.
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel
Management's (OPM) Qualification Standards. Applicants who meet basic minimum
qualifications will be placed in the Eligible Category. Placement will be
determined based on the applicant's quality of experience and the extent s/he
possesses the following competencies:
- Communication
- Decision Making
- Flexibility
- Self-Management
- Conscientiousness
Your application, including the online Assessment
Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum
qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided
to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your
responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant
to this position. Those determined to be qualified will be referred to the
selecting official.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting
documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your
qualifications and/or experience, your rating may be lowered to more
accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow instructions
carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate
information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or
disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal service.
Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e.
the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a
preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online
application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.
To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11096754
Background
checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Other
Drug test required
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness
Required
Documents
The following documents are required for your applicant
package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible
software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, your
system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to
submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name,
address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience
related to this position as described in the major duties, including work
schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; and title, series,
grade (if applicable); 4) supervisor's phone number and whether or not the
supervisor may be contacted for a reference check; 5) other qualifications.
If you need assistance in creating a federal resume see this click here.
College transcripts: If education is required or you are using
education to meet a qualification requirement, you must submit a legible copy
of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the
application; however, it must include student name, school name, and enough
information to validate qualifications such as course names, prefixes,
grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was award, etc.
Further, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official
transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully
obtained from an accredited school, college, or university, visit Dept of
Education Accredited Schools. If any education was completed at a foreign
institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute
was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are
private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is
normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations
that evaluate education, visit NACES. All transcripts must be in English or
include an English translation.
Veterans' Preference: If claiming you must submit a DD-214,
Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and
discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty, you must
submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official
written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be
discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions no
later than 120 days from the date the certification is signed. Enlisted
Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official
documentation. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the
appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military
service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the
character of service. If claiming 10-point veterans
preference, you must provide the DD-214, plus the proof of entitlement of this
preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans
Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. The SF-15
should be included but is not required. For more information on veterans
preference see Feds Hire Vets.
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP must
provide: Proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed
removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to
another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50
documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting
position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
If you are relying on your
education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited
towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees
from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as
stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may
affect the overall rating.
Benefits
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.
Help
This job is open to
- Career
transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a
"surplus" or "displaced" employee.
U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to
the U.S.
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