Food Safety and Inspection Service Hiring for Consumer Safety Inspector at Grand Junction, Colorado Full Time

Summary VACANCY INFORMATION: Grand Junction, CO CSI, GS-1862-08/09, SJ-618 Establishment: M17814-Grand Valley Foods. Located in Mesa County Work Schedule: Mon-Fri: 0800-1630, four-plant multi-species slaughter/processing patrol Activity: Slaughter/Processing Species: Multiple Salary Range: GS-8 $51,713 to $67,231 GS-9 $57,118 to $74,250 Responsibilities YOU WILL/MAY: Ensure that regulated establishments produce a safe product by executing appropriate inspection methods, determining non-compliance with regulatory requirements, documenting noncompliance and initiating enforcement action, where warranted. Verify that meat and poultry slaughter and/or processing establishment’s Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plans meet regulatory requirements. Execute Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plans effectively to prevent unsanitary conditions and adulteration of product. Review records, observe plant operations and conduct hands-on verification to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and prepare detailed documentation (Non-Compliance Records) of non-compliance with regulatory requirements. Determine when regulatory control action is necessary. You will assess whether the plant’s corrective or preventative actions are acceptable and effective, if there are trends in non-compliance, or if enforcement action is warranted. Conduct regulatory oversight activities inside plants in matters relating to other consumer protections (e.g., economic adulteration and misbranding). Have contact with plant managers, owners and others to explain legal and regulatory requirements, discuss operation of the plant’s SSOP, HACCP plan and other food safety programs. Communicate and defend determinations on non-compliance issues and discuss plans for addressing non-compliance. Work with a variety of individuals to resolve problems, clarify differences of interpretation concerning HACCP and other food safety or consumer protection requirements. Advise other Agency inspectors, supervisors and officers on inspection and enforcement matters for which you are involved. Conduct various samplings, surveys and tests to obtain pertinent data on potential problem areas, industry trends, or other issues of current interest to the Agency. Be involved in performing health and safety verification sampling and tests for detection of specific microbes (e.g., salmonella, listeria, etc.), residues or contaminants. Assure that products approved for import are in full compliance with all applicable Federal regulations governing the importation of meat and poultry products. Authorize entry of all meat or poultry products considered to comply with Federal regulations or refuse entry of any products which violate any of the requirements for admission into this country. Coordinate with other Federal agencies (e.g., the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on such matters as animal health restrictions and refused entry lots. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time-In-Grade/Time-In-Band: Applicants must meet requirements for one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade. (e.g. one year at the GS-07 grade level for consideration for the GS-08 grade level.) 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. (GS-8) Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level). Specialized experience includes working with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts in order to inspect meat, poultry and egg products; working with basic SSOP and HACCP principles and practices in order to verify plant HAACP and SSOP responsibilities; performing basic mathematics and elementary statistical concepts and methods to perform testing and sampling procedures; and experience in reaching and interpreting conclusions. (GS-9) Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-08 level). Specialized experience includes: In addition to the qualifications above, incumbents are expected to have experience working at a more independent level than lower graded CSIs, such as recommending refusal of exports and providing temporary coverage at locations outside of the official duty station. 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 20/40 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. Education Education may be used to qualify in lieu of specialized experience as described below. For the GS-09 Level: Two full years of directly related graduate education or a directly related master’s degree is qualifying for GS-9. OR A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only graduate education in excess of the first 18 semester hours directly related to the work of the position is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement. Additional Information 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 is a Bargaining Unit position covered by the National Joint Council (NJC) of Food Inspection Locals. If you are a current FSIS employee and a non-competitive applicant (reassignment, change to lower grade, or non-competitive re-promotion) wanting consideration for this position, you must complete the on-line application process and/or apply to the Voluntary Reassignment System. In order to apply to the Voluntary Reassignment System, you must submit a hard copy of “Form 4335-3, Employee Request for Reassignment within Field Operations.” The required form(s) must be filled out and mailed to: USDA, FSIS, HROD 920 2nd Ave S, Suite 1300 Minneapolis, MN 55402 This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s). – Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), or Reemployed Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 applications must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. – 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. – 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. – 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. – 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. Veterans Policy