Meat and Poultry Inspector

Overview

Position Summary & Responsibilities:

Location: Applicants must live in or around Russell, Ellsworth, or Barton County, Kansas. Applicant must reside in this county or surrounding area or be willing to relocate to assigned area.

This position serves as the Meat & Poultry Inspector of the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s meat and poultry (M&P) inspection program. This state-wide program has the regulatory responsibility to ensure that meat products produced in state-inspected meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities are slaughtered and processed to meet the “equal to” requirements of federally inspected facilities.

Some responsibilities for the Meat & Poultry Inspector include, but not limited to:

This position is responsible for performing inspections at meat and poultry slaughter and processing plants in the state of Kansas. The position will be required to quickly identify abnormalities in live food animals prior to slaughter and identifying abnormalities in animal organ and muscle tissue after slaughter;

This position must assure the inspected facility is operating according to their system and that they are following regulations.  This position will be required to read, observe, and understand the inspected facilities Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans and systems.  This position will evaluate the adequacy and the effectiveness of these plans by recognizing and identifying actual and potential food safety hazards in the meat-processing environment. HACCP training will be provided to the applicant upon hire.

Be knowledgeable of products being prepared, formulations being used, and check on pumping and cooking temperatures to ensure food safety and check net weights periodically for accuracy.

This position provides education, consultation, and regulatory guidance to licensed meat establishments, including certain food processing plants and retail operations. The impact of the work is to assure overall meat and poultry safety and related consumer protection by assuring safe and wholesome food, properly labeled, for human consumption.

Maintain an up-to-date label file and take samples according to established procedure and forward for laboratory analysis to assure standards of identity. Verify that all samples required under the HACCP system are taken as directed which will require providing detailed and accurate records.  This position is expected to have high attention to detail and must be able to forward think while performing the duties listed above.

The territory for this position will located in the Northwestern region of the state and the applicant must live in the assigned territory.

*This position is a home-based position. The applicant that is selected for this position will start each workday from his/her home.

Qualifications:

Course credit from an accredited two or four year college or university with major course work related to Agriculture, animal/food science, meat processing or Biology.
Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Animal Science, Biology or any close related field preferred.  Experience may be substituted for education as determined relevant by the agency.  Willing to train the right individual.
Applicant for this position must submit to and pass a color blindness test as a condition of employment.
Employee must have a valid Class C (or higher) Kansas driver’s license or equivalent license from another state. Employee is responsible to maintain an acceptable driving record to safely drive state vehicle and be willing and able to fulfill all job-related travel normally associated with this position.

Compensation:

Annual Salary: $40,000 Per Year
Hourly Pay: $19.23 Per Hour

Employment Benefits:

Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage
Sick & Vacation leave
Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave
Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)
Fitness Centers in select locations
Employee discounts with the STAR Program
Retirement and deferred compensation programs