We at the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) take our responsibilities to you very seriously and are committed to protecting and promoting Georgia's agriculture through superior service and leadership.

·         The mission of the GDA is to protect consumers, promote agriculture both locally and globally, and assist our customers using education, technology, and a professional workforce.

·         The vision of the GDA is to continue to be a globally recognized leader in agricultural excellence through a commitment to safety, quality, growth, and innovation.

THIS POSITION IS ASSIGNED TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES (THE APPLICANT MUST RESIDE IN ONE OF THE COUNTIES LISTED OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE):

This position is assigned to the following counties:

·         floyd

·         chattooga

·         dade

·         polk

Job Summary:

This position is located in the Retail Food Section of the Food Safety Division of the GDA.

·         This section is responsible for enforcing state laws, rules, and regulations by conducting sanitation inspections of retail food stores.

·         Regulated firms include grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries, seafood operations, salvage food operations, mobile meat trucks, and rolling stores to ensure Good Retail Practices (GRPs) are being followed, and the wholesomeness of food is maintained.

·         The retail food compliance specialist conducts random and unannounced inspections of food sales establishments that are licensed by the GDA.

·         All retail food compliance specialists must complete retail standardization and meet the requirements for Agriculture Compliance Specialist 1.

·         Each position is assigned a specific territory, which they are required to reside in.

Essential Functions:

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

1.    Inspects and investigates retail food establishments for compliance with applicable health and sanitation laws and regulations.

2.    Performs duties in a manner to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations.

3.    Collects food samples and/or environmental swabs for laboratory analysis.

4.    Transports samples to laboratories for analysis within the prescribed methods and timeframe.

5.    Maintains a working knowledge of current policies, laws, regulations, and guidance documents.

6.    Attend training sessions, meetings, and conferences.

7.    Verifies accuracy of scales.

8.    Verifies Scanner accuracy.

9.    Checks refrigeration equipment for proper operation.

10. Checks for proper product packaging and labeling.

11. Observes food facility employees.

12. Ensures proper equipment cleaning procedures and proper handling of insecticides and sanitizing chemicals.

13. Investigates food for wholesomeness after disasters, including fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, or transportation accidents.

14. Plans, organizes, and manages assigned territory.

15. Reports compliance with findings through the appropriate chain.

16. Maintains working relationships with the food industry and related entities, including federal, state, and local agencies.

17. Prepares and completes agency, state, and federal forms as required.

18. Performs USDA Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) contract work as directed.

Other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands:

1.      Periods of prolonged standing/walking.

2.      Possibility of climbing stairs or ladders.

3.      Exposure to the weather/elements and a broad range of temperatures.

4.      Long travel days.

5.      Lifting equipment, and possibly in excess of thirty (30) lbs.

6.      Typing and repetitive movements.

7.      Flexibility to meet the needs of the Department for emergencies, outbreaks, and responses that may occur outside working hours (nights, weekends).

Preferred Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in agronomy, animal science, biology, chemistry, or a job-related area from an accredited college or university, bachelor’s degree, or certification as a Registered Sanitarian or Environmental Health Specialist.

NOTE: The Georgia Department of Agriculture conducts background checks on all final candidates.  The hiring of applicants is contingent upon satisfactory results of employment verification, background and criminal records investigations, and motor vehicle reports.

Please note: Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to respond to phone/email inquiries regarding application status. Only candidates selected to move forward in the hiring process will be contacted.

HOW TO APPLY:  Resumes may be submitted by adding to your profile in Team Georgia Careers.

·         Via Team Georgia Careers http://team.georgia.gov/careers/

The GDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All qualified applicants will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. Due to the large volume of submissions received by this office, information concerning application and/or interview status cannot be provided.  Selected applicants will be contacted for the next steps in the interview process.  Applicants who are not selected will not receive a notification.

If you need accommodation, don't hesitate to contact the Human Resources Office at (404) 656-3615.

** The position will be closed once a suitable candidate is identified **