Meat Inspector Trainee - District 7

Schedule: Full-time

Compensation: Competitive Salary $43,514 - $52.936

Who We Are:

ODA helps Ohioans in many ways including: supporting agriculture, protecting consumers, safeguarding plants and animals, and conserving natural resources. As a cabinet-level agency, we answer to the Governor, and we get a lot of stuff done! Ohio’s food and agriculture industry is huge, contributing $124 billion to the economy and employing one in eight people. This success starts on the farm, but these aren’t your great grandpa’s farms! They may have started way back when, but many of Ohio’s more than 70,000 farms are modern, state-of-the-art operations that use technology to maximize production to feed our growing population.

ODA is located in Reynoldsburg on a beautiful, 158-acre campus. Parking is free and so are the amazing connections you will make with professionals who are known as the best in their field.

What We Do:

At ODA, we do a lot that helps a lot of people. That’s a pretty big deal! We make sure the meat and food you eat and the milk you drink is safe. We protect farmland and conserve our soil and water resources. We keep Ohio’s plants, crops, and livestock free of pests and disease. We house the state’s top food safety lab and serve as a hub for a statewide lab safety system. We make sure you get what you pay for through ensuring accurate weights and measures standards. We oversee Ohio’s fairs and make sure the amusement rides you love are safe. As a member of ODA’s family, you’ll be working with a team of the highest caliber, doing work that makes a difference to all Ohioans.

What You'll Do:

Join the meat inspection team!

You will have the opportunity to experience the many different cultures our inspected establishments have to offer

As you perform your inspection duties at small, locally owned meat processing establishments you will also observe local butchers and processors who prepare products the old-fashioned way

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is currently seeking candidates for a Meat Inspector Trainee position in the Meat Inspection Division, headquartered in Franklin County. The duties for the Meat Inspector Trainee position include but are not limited to:

Receives training and mentoring from higher level meat inspector to learn procedures and assists in conducting inspections of registered meat plants, private, commercial slaughtering plants and custom- exempt red meat and/or poultry processing facilities

Learns to perform ante mortem and postmortem inspections of carcasses and enforces state and federal sanitation, humane slaughter, meat processing and food safety policies, procedures and guidelines

Conducts visual examination of live animal and/or poultry prior to slaughter while looking for abnormalities in appearance and behavior such as sick, hurt and/or non-ambulatory

Contacts veterinarian for final disposition of unhealthy animals and records results

Makes determination of age of beef through dentition of cattle 30 months or older for removal of backbone due to concerns of BSE

Performs visual, tactile and/or incisory inspection of head, lymph nodes, viscera, carcass and offal to include liver, heart, brain and tripe to determine whether or not pathological conditions are present and carcass is in clean and wholesome condition

Inspects all equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure acceptable sanitation levels and prohibiting use of unsanitary, unsafe and/or unapproved equipment and facilities until cleaned and/or corrected to include pest and rodent control, use of pesticides and chemicals, condition and use of potable water supply and waste and sewage systems

Halts production for poor sanitation and/or non-compliance

Assures proper disposition of unfit and condemned products, enforces sanitary dressing procedures and controls carcass branding

Learns labeling requirements and assists in reviewing labeling materials

Reviews proposed labels, product formulations, production procedures, quality control programs, quality control records and laboratory reports for state inspected meat and/or poultry establishments

Checks formulations of all types of meat food products for compliance with federal regulations and periodically monitors inspection procedures for maintaining compliance in production of meat products

Learns sampling procedures and assists higher level inspector with submission of product samples of products for analysis for microbiological adulterants and for consumer protection

Requires meat slaughter plants to conduct microbial testing for generic E.coli to verify adequacy of process controls for prevention of fecal contamination

Learns how to document verification results and navigate in the Public Health Information System (PHIS)

Assists higher level inspector with other meat inspection duties as assigned

Performs re-inspection of meat and/or poultry products and non-meat ingredients for such products intended for further processing or distribution

Inspects critical control points in preparation and handling of meat or poultry products (i.e., monitors formulation, temperature controls, preparation procedures, use of restricted ingredients and sampling) to ensure compliance

Prepares, maintains and monitors required records, reports and formulations concerning product condemnations and retentions

Controls all sanitation discrepancies and corrective actions

Assists in industry quality control programs

Analyzes report deviations, travel and pay reports and submits such through proper channels

Attends training courses (e.g., Incidence Command Systems training courses; Inspection System Procedures including Homeland Security)

Refresher seminars and on-job training activities

This position shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of the OCSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement. ODA bargaining unit members have selection rights before non-bargaining unit members. All other applications will only be considered if an internal bargaining unit applicant is not selected for this position.

We Support Diversity and Inclusion:

ODA values its internal diversity and pledges to cultivate an inclusive and engaging environment for all employees where differences are embraced and celebrated. The agency commits to building a workforce that champions the advancement of DEI principles and initiatives. The values on which these efforts are founded are: respect, empathy, transparency, equality, and equal access.

What’s in it for you:

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

Medical Coverage

Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered through the Ohio Med PPO plan.

Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance

Dental, vision and basic life insurance premiums are free after one year of continuous service.

Time Away from Work and Work/Life Balance

Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave

11 paid holidays per year

Childbirth/Adoption leave

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System

OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees. The employee contributes 10% of his/her salary towards his/her retirement. The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee’s salary. Visit the OPERS website for more information.

Deferred Compensation

The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan. Visit the Ohio Deferred Compensation website for more information.

Maternity Benefits

· Expanded maternity health care benefits available to state employees enrolled in the Ohio Med PPO and Ohio Med NN (narrow network) medical plan options. Several prenatal, childbirth, and post-childbirth services are provided at no out-of-pocket cost to employees utilizing network providers.

· Examples of services now covered by network providers at 100% include:

o Prenatal care, including physician visits and examinations.

o Home health care services designated as maternity care (for expectant members on bed rest).

o Inpatient claims for all types of delivery.

o Inpatient NICU claims, from birth through discharge.

o Postpartum care, including office visits for follow-up, and procedures/treatments directly related to maternity.

· Medications prescribed for both antepartum and postpartum conditions (e.g., morning sickness, postpartum depression). Medical services provided by non-network providers will be processed at the applicable coinsurance, deductible, and out-of-pocket limits.

· Prescription drugs that are directly related to maternity care are covered with no copay. The State of Ohio has collaborated with the prescription drug third-party administrator (OptumRx) to provide a list of covered medications that can be approved for zero copay via prior authorization from providers.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a Model Employer of Individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free Workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis).

1 course in animal science, agribusiness and/or food business management

OR 3 months experience in livestock industry/industrial meat and poultry processing

AND 1 course in biological sciences or chemistry

AND must be able to provide own transportation

OR

Equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above