Food Safety Specialist - Live Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Food Safety Specialist – Live Operations will support food safety systems with a focus in live operations by leading projects that support continuous improvement activities and performing internal audits of key food safety programs, including preharvest pathogen interventions, biosecurity practices, pest control, and site cleaning and disinfection.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

· Lead trials and validation studies for the preharvest pathogen intervention strategy. Evaluate data and outcomes of the trials with internal stakeholders and external subject matter experts.

· Develop and monitor key performance indicators for critical food safety metrics in contract pullet, breeder, hatchery, and broiler operations. Evaluate data for emerging trends and provide awareness to key stakeholders. Support investigations into negative trends with area owners.

· Perform internal audits of preharvest food safety activities, to include pathogen sampling, site disinfection sampling, vaccine application, antibiotic residue sampling, and water acidification.

· Perform internal audits of preharvest food safety systems on contract pullet, breeder, and broiler farms with a focus on biosecurity, cleaning and disinfection, litter conditions, and pest control to ensure that each business area is complying with program expectations.

· Periodically perform audits of corrective actions related to food safety systems in order to ensure that corrective actions and preventive measures remain properly implemented and are effective.

· Develop and maintain relationships with external partners and stakeholders, to include suppliers of feed, litter, and vaccines, and veterinary, nutrition, and cleaning and disinfection service providers, in order to drive continuous improvement in the areas of food safety and pathogen control.

· Support area owners with investigations into internal food safety incidents and program nonconformances. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify root causes and implement sustainable corrective actions and preventive measures.

· Take a proactive role in assuring safe, quality products are produced by immediately addressing any safety or quality concerns. Participate actively in all company meetings.

· Provide support to the Food Safety Quality Assurance department by developing a knowledge of the business to participate in projects, internal and external audits, and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science, Animal Science, Food Science, or related field and 3-5 years’ experience in a live operations or food safety role in the animal agriculture industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience

· Working knowledge of food safety systems within live operations in the meat or poultry industry

· Ability to effectively communicate and drive change with varying levels throughout the organization

· Self-motivated with strong analytical and problem-solving skills

· Proficient in project management, team collaboration, and driving continuous improvement.

· Proficient with Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint)