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Consumer Safety Inspector - Apprenticeship

Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is an open-continuous announcement that is used to collect applications for a Veteran Recruitment Appointment (VRA) specific apprenticeship program from applicants and fill vacant Consumer Safety Inspector positions as they become available.

FSIS is pleased to offer a $5,000 (less taxes) recruitment incentive to newly hired Food Inspectors or Consumer Safety Inspectors. Click on 'Learn More About This Agency' for more information.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/03/2023 to 11/01/2024
Salary
$39,576 to - $51,446 per year

Salary shown is based on Rest of U.S. locality. Salary may vary based on duty station of the selectee.

Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Amount of travel will vary by vacancy. Travel may be anywhere from occasional/less than 25% to 76% or more.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - Not to exceed 1 year. Eligible to be converted to a non-temporary appointment upon successful completion of the apprenticeship program.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FSIS-24-OCR-12180514-JKM
Control number
758848100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This is an open-continuous announcement for a one-year Veteran Recruitment Appointment (VRA) Apprenticeship Program that will be used to select interested applicants as positions become available. All applicants must be VRA eligible to be considered for the position.

Duties

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  • The positions are located in the Office of Field Operations (OFO). As a Consumer Safety Inspector 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

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Conditions of employment

  • Training as a condition of employment (TCOE) is required. You must begin the training within 90 days of the effective date of your selection, and you must successfully complete it within 12 months of the effective date of your selection.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Selectee may be subject to satisfactory completion of one-year probationary or trial period.
  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.
  • 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.

Qualifications

If selected, you will serve as an apprentice for one year with eligibility to be converted to a non-temporary appointment upon successful completion of the FSIS Apprenticeship Program.

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. 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.
You must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the experience that would have been gained if working in this position or a similar, closely related position at the next lower level by the closing date of this announcement or the appropriate education substitution. See specialized experience definitions below.

Specialized experience:

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.
For the GS-05 Level: At least 52 weeks of qualifying experience gained under close supervision that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food for human consumption, and other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals. This experience should include several or all of the following: 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, and skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals. Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aid, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.

Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aide, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.

Please view OPM's Qualifications Standards, Consumer Safety Inspector Series, GS-1862.

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

Education may be used to qualify in lieu of specialized experience as described below.

For the GS-05 level: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours/credits in any combination of coursework in the areas of: agricultural, biological, or physical sciences, food technology, epidemiology, home economics, pharmacy, engineering, or nutrition. Specialized government or military training may be creditable if it is related directly to this position.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (with some related coursework, as described in number 2 above) 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

If selected, you will serve as an apprentice for one year with eligibility to be converted to a non-temporary appointment upon successful completion of the FSIS Apprenticeship Program.

  • Shifts, activities, travel and overtime requirements will vary by individual vacancy.
  • 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 position has the potential for mandatory overtime, weekend and holiday work, variable tours of duty, travel and other work life challenges.
  • If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.
  • This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies.
  • 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 POSITION REQUIRES A PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL. Position Requirements.
Should be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center @ 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.

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.

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

Veterans Policy

The positions advertised in this vacancy announcement 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.

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.

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.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualification Standards. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Placement will be determined based on the applicant's quality of experience and the extent s/he possesses the following competencies:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Decision Making
  • Dependability
  • Flexibility
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Resilience
  • Self Management
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.

Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements will be referred in an unranked list to the hiring manager for consideration.

**REMINDER** Applicants - Be sure that experience/education as described on your resume contains accurate and sufficiently detailed information to clearly demonstrate that you have the listed competencies. All information used to evaluate your application must be received by the closing date of the announcement. Once the position is closed, no additional information will be accepted.

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/12180514

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