Food Inspector Trainee 1, NS (NY HELPS)

Division of Food Safety and Inspection

Kings County, NY

Posting Dates: March 20, 2024- March 30, 2024

Harvest your potential with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets! Join our team and become an integral part of a team dedicated to fostering a competitive food and agriculture industry that benefits both producers and consumers alike. Here, you can cultivate your career in a dynamic environment that values innovation, sustainability, and community engagement. With a wide range of opportunities spanning from environmental science to economic development, you can find your niche in public service and grow both professionally and personally. Embrace the chance to join our team, and you’ll not only reap a fulfilling career but also sow the seeds for a healthier, stronger New York.

Position Information:

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a Food Inspector Trainee 1 to work in Kings County and conduct food safety inspections of food establishments to ensure sanitary, wholesome, and pure food in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The position prevents fraud, adulteration and misrepresentation in the processing, packaging, storage, distribution, and sale of food and food products by educating food establishment operators on applicable laws and regulations; sampling food products to verify food safety controls, product labeling, and contents; and issuing written notices, letters, and reports citing food establishment violations and enforcement actions. This position can be based out of your home and requires travel within an assigned region. This position is perfect for a self-driven candidate who wants autonomy over their schedule and enjoys working outside the office setting!

Benefits:

This is a PEF-represented position that offers excellent benefits! Benefits include but are not limited to inexpensive Health Insurance options, free Dental and Vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, and generous paid time off. Within the first year, you are eligible for 5 days of personal time, 13 vacation days, 13 sick days, and 13 paid holidays!

Salary:

The starting salary for the Food Inspector Trainee 1 is $47,925/ year, and the hiring salary for the PEF salary grade (SG) 13. This position requires the completion of a two-year traineeship. After successful completion of the first year of the traineeship, the appointee will advance without further examination to the Trainee 2 level SG-14 (starting salary of $50,678). Completion of the second year of the traineeship will result in permanent advancement to the Food Inspector 1, SG-18 (starting salary of $63,108) without further examination. Candidates may be eligible for appointment directly to the Trainee 2 or full performance level. For more information, see Advanced Placement below.

The full title Food Inspector position is in the PEF Salary Grade (SG) 18. The starting salary of the PEF SG-18 is $63,108/year.

The candidate appointed at the Food Inspector 1, SG-18 level, will be eligible to participate in the New York State Performance Evaluation Program. Through this program, employees receive yearly performance evaluations. Performance advances are payable to PEF employees whose base annual salary is below the job rate for their current position and who were rated "Satisfactory" or its equivalent on their yearly performance evaluation. Performance advance payments are added to an employee's annual salary. Over time, yearly performance advances may lead to the SG-18 job rate salary of $80,248/ year!

Minimum Qualifications:

NY HELPS Qualifications: Either 1: 120 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences;

Or 2. 60 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences AND two years of experience where your primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility.

Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm .

Advanced Placement: If you are selected for appointment, you may, at the agency's discretion, be appointed directly to Food Inspector Trainee 2 or Food Inspector 1.

To be considered for advanced placement to Food Inspector Trainee 2, you must possess, beyond the "Minimum Qualifications", one additional year of experience in which the primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility.

To be considered for advanced placement to Food Inspector 1, you must possess, beyond the "Minimum Qualifications", two additional years of experience in which the primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility.

Examples of Acceptable Experience: Qualifying experience can be gained in jobs such as Environmental Health Technician, Sanitarian for food business, Food Inspector/Investigator, Meat Inspector, Quality Control Technician for a food processing plant or food warehouse, or Laboratory Technician with experience conducting analysis of food or dairy products.

Examples of Unacceptable Experience: Food Service Worker, Restaurant or Food Store Manager, Chef, Butcher, Caterer, Food Warehouse Foreperson, Food Warehouse Management, Food Comptroller, Beverage Comptroller, Food Production line worker, Banquet Manager, Steward, Food Equipment Salesperson, Food and Sanitation Equipment Salesperson, Food Broker, or Pesticide Applicator.

TRAVEL REQUIRMENTS: As this position requires travel within the region to which assigned, appointees must either possess at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State and have access to a motor vehicle when necessary or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the regular transportation requirements in carrying out their field work responsibilities.

How to Apply:

Candidates that are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to one of these opportunities must use this link to apply: Position Vacancy Online Application by: March 30, 2024. Within this online application please upload your resume, transcript, and cover letter.

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Sacco in Human Resources at (518) 457-3216 or HarvestYourPotential(at)agriculture.ny.gov.

NY HELPS Program:

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive and the official probationary period will begin.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Additional Minimum Qualifications:

Reassignment Qualifications: You must be a current Department of Agriculture and Markets employee and have one year of permanent, contingent-permanent, or 55 b/c service as a Food Inspector Trainee 1, NS, Food Inspector Trainee 2, NS and Food Inspector 1, G-18; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current eligible list for this location if one exists.

Transfer Qualification: Under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have:one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law. Such titles include but are not limited to:

• To a Food Inspector Trainee 1, you must have one year of permanent, competitive, or 55-b/c service as a Farm Products Grading Inspector 1, or;
• To a Food Inspector Trainee 2, you must have one year of permanent, competitive, or 55-b/c service as a Farm Products Grading Inspector 2, or;
• To a Food Inspector 1, You must have one year of permanent, competitive, or 55-b/c service as a Dairy Products Specialist 1.

Reinstatement Under Rule 5.4: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they were previous permanent New York State employees who resigned their positions may be reinstated to their former positions, or to positions to which they were eligible for transfer or reassignment without further examination. Employees separated from their positions may be reinstated within one year of the date of their separation. Employees separated from their positions who have also been separated from state service for more than one year may be reinstated upon approval by the state Civil Service Commission.

55-b/c Qualifications: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they meet these qualifications: You must have 120 college semester credit hours which must include 18 credit hours in specialized courses related to: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, or environmental health.

Information about the Workers with Disabilities 55-b and the Veterans with Disabilities employment program 55-c can be found at 55b/c Recruitment Resources Center (ny.gov).

Additional Position Information:

Division: Food Safety and Inspection

Negotiating Unit: PEF

Location: Kings County

Number of Vacancies: One

Status of Vacancy: Full-time; Permanent

Jurisdictional Class: Competitive

Civil Service List(s): Eligible List Exists

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info(at)oer.ny.gov.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $63,108.00 - $80,248.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Experience level:

• No experience needed

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: On the road