Food Safety Inspector

About the job

This position falls under the Meat Inspection Program. In this role you will help keep food and Ontarians safe by:

• inspecting agricultural and food products for processing to support food safety for Ontarians including performing both ante and post mortem assessment of livestock and carcasses
• assessing recipes, formulations, production, processing, packaging, preservation and storage methods of food products
• evaluating practices, programs and records for process control systems
• identifying unacceptable food safety hazards or noncompliance with applicable regulatory requirements
• collecting a variety of samples from agricultural or food products and processing environments to test regularly for biological, physical or chemical food safety hazards
• preparing and maintaining reports for compliance verification activities
• providing technical assistance to premises operators and other related parties (e.g. industry organizations and associations, equipment suppliers)
• conducting field sampling and related reporting activities during emergency response, and participate in regular emergency preparedness exercises and training After joining the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) as a Food Safety Inspector you will work towards obtaining one or more required food safety inspection certifications provided by the ministry. You may have the opportunity to explore further certifications based on commodities of interest.
• What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• You must have a valid Ontario class “G” driver's license or equivalent as recognized by the province of Ontario and have the ability to travel extensively
• You must be able to work in hot and cold working conditions

Technical knowledge:

• You have knowledge of food safety hazards and risks.
• You have knowledge of food production and processing practices including raw materials, product formulations, food additives/ingredients, and quality control methods and practices.
• You can interpret and apply legislation, regulations and operational policies, protocols, guidelines, and procedures as they relate to food production.

Analytical and problem-solving skills:

You can:

• apply knowledge of principles and application of quality assurance systems such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• monitor work quality against current inspection and compliance standards and policies.
• assess inspection and audit corrective action plans.
• exercise judgement to recognize and understand the issues that arise during inspections.
• assess stakeholder concerns/issues regarding deficiencies, methods, techniques, critical control points and hazards.
• apply understanding of science-based risk assessment principles, develop contingency plans and identify control measures.

Training experience:

• You have knowledge of adult learning principles to help deliver training and coaching to new staff, monitoring progress and preparing written assessments.

Communication and interpersonal skills:

• You can develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external clients.
• You can mitigate disputes and confrontational situations when conflicts occur between clients' perceived interests and inspection requirements.
• You can provide information as it relates to outcomes, application of legislation/regulations and technical advice.

Computer and arithmetic skills:

• You have proficiency with computer software applications to locate, adapt, manipulate and store data/information.
• You possess arithmetic skills to perform calculations in order to verify accuracy of records and compliance measures.

Don't meet every qualification?

• If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
• How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's

Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace: diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives accessibility Anti-Racism Policy