The mission: to ensure that the American public has safe and correctly labeled food. 

The stakes: life and death. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, food borne diseases are estimated to cause 6 million to 81 million illnesses and up to 9,000 deaths in the United States per year.  With meat recalls and charges of humane handling violations in the news regularly, many would say there’s a crisis of confidence about our food. On the front lines of this crisis – whether real or perceived – is a law enforcement group within the United States Department of Agriculture charged with the seemingly impossible mission of protecting the American public health.

Food inspectors comprise the largest category of employees in the Food Safety and Inspection Agency under the United States Department of Agriculture, with over 7,500 nationwide. As a Food Inspector you will be providing the first line of defense by ensuring that regulated meat, poultry and egg product establishments produce safe products by executing appropriate inspection methods in privately owned meat or poultry slaughter and processing plants.

As a Federal official, you will be required to uphold the integrity of the regulatory process. You will acquire the skills necessary to balance industry desire for productivity against public right to protection against unsafe or inferior food products.  Many careers are possible.

One career path for a food inspector is through the consumer safety inspector position. Consumer safety inspectors work in one or more privately owned meat, poultry, and egg processing plants. They ensure the plant is operating within its written plans for sanitation and processing.  In addition, they conduct regulatory oversight activities inside the plants in matters relating to other areas of consumer protection like mislabeling.

Another career path for a food inspector is through the import inspector position. Import inspectors are stationed at ports and other points of entry to the United States. They make sure that products imported from other countries are as safe as those produced domestically.

To qualify for an entry-level position, you must pass a written test and have either a Bachelor’s degree or 1 year of job-related experience (in the food industry). This experience must demonstrate knowledge of sanitation practices and control measures used in the commercial handling and preparation of food products for human consumption. Qualifying experience should also demonstrate skill in applying, interpreting, and explaining standards in a food product environment.

To become an employee of one of the largest public health agencies in the U.S. Government, apply for positions on USA Jobs.

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