Food Inspector Trainee 1

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before December 2, 2023, you must have:

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.

Qualifying Experience: For the purposes of this examination, 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 non-qualifying experience include but are not limited to: 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.

• You must include a list of qualifying courses on your online application. If you provide a list of qualifying courses, include the name of the school, department and course title, the number of semester credit hours, and the date completed for each course.
• If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2024, you can take the multiple-choice test. You MUST submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the appointing authority at the time of the employment interview or you will not be considered for appointment. Failure to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2024, may result in your removal from the eligible list.
• 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.
• New York State residency is not required.

Traineeships: To be advanced to the full performance level of this title you must successfully complete a set training and development program. Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training at the Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2. Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 2, you will advance to the full level of this title without further examination.

An appointee's performance in the trainee position and in the set training and development programs will be observed and evaluated. The training and development program will include extensive on-the-job training and carefully designed and monitored work experience. If an appointee does not meet the standard requirements, they may be terminated at any time after the initial eight weeks and before completion of the traineeship.

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

To be considered for advanced placement to Food Inspector Trainee 2 or Food Inspector Trainee 2 (Spanish Language), 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 or Food Inspector 1 (Spanish Language), 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.

You must inform the agency of this additional experience at the time of interview.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

1. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination and apply to a title which requires language proficiency, you must demonstrate your language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position properly. The proficiency test will only be given to enough candidates to fill current vacancies.
2. Probation: If you are appointed to a trainee level position, but your conduct or performance during the traineeship is found to be unsatisfactory, the appointing authority may terminate your employment at any time.

The Positions: These positions exist in the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and are located statewide.

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Duties

As a Food Inspector Trainee 1, you would be in a two-year formal training program that will include both on the job training and online training courses. The training provides the experience necessary to conduct general sanitation, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) inspections, low-acid canned food, juice HACCP, seafood HACCP, acidified food inspections, animal food inspections at food manufacturers, processors, distributors, and retailers; and to report violations of standards as they pertain to wholesomeness, labeling, and advertising of food products and/or general sanitary conditions and inventory control. You would also participate in educational sessions for operators of establishments (including donated food recipient agencies) found in repeated violation of sanitation standards. You may testify in court or in administrative hearings on violative conditions at food establishments, donated food recipient agencies, warehouses, or food banks and investigate consumer complaints related to mislabeling or unwholesomeness of food. Upon successful completion of the two-year training program, you would be advanced to Food Inspector 1, SG-18, without further examination.

Notes:

1. Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within an area of assignment. Appointees may need to operate a motor vehicle or have other means to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must continuously have a valid New York State driver's license to continue employment. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule. Overnight travel may be required.
2. If you submit an application for an examination with a language parenthetic, an application will automatically be submitted for you for the non-language examination.
3. If other language parenthetics are established, the list will also be used to fill those positions and appointees must demonstrate their language proficiency prior to appointment.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the multiple-choice test. The multiple-choice test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
2. General science concepts related to chemistry, microbiology, entomology and food science - These questions test for knowledge of general science concepts as they relate to subjects such as food sampling, testing, food adulteration, and preservation.
3. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a multiple-choice test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most multiple-choice tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the multiple-choice test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your multiple-choice test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a multiple-choice test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this multiple-choice test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S1/TB1 RKV-ctc
Issued: 9/15/23

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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