Senior Sanitation and Safety Specialist - 42000885 (for Internal Agency Employees Only)

Requisition No: 887169 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: SENIOR SANITATION AND SAFETY SPECIALIST - 42000885 (FOR INTERNAL AGENCY EMPLOYEES ONLY)

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42000885 

Salary:  $43,831.58 - $60,487.44 

Posting Closing Date: 11/13/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

SENIOR SANITATION AND SAFETY SPECIALIST

(FOOD SAFETY INSPECTOR)
 

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

DIVISION OF FOOD SAFETY
BUREAU OF WHOLESALE AND DAIRY

***INTERNAL AGENCY OPPORTUNITY--
ONLY CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES WILL BE CONSIDERED.***

The headquarters for this position is negotiable within Alachua, Broward, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Pasco, and Volusia County.

CONTACT:

Kevin See, 850/815-2197

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent and two (2) year of professional work experience; or

A bachelor's degree (4 years) or higher from an accredited college or university and one (1) year of professional work experience.

Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.

EDUCATIONAL NOTE: Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.  A list of approved agencies can be viewed at “Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education.” Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org) 

***ATTENTION CANDIDATES***

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.
  
  

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Employees appointed to positions involved in dairy facility inspections under authority of Chapter 502, Florida Statutes, must pass and maintain the training and certification required by Chapter 502 and rule Chapter 5K-10, Florida Administrative Code, within 12 months of appointment.

Employees appointed to this position must pass an evaluation conducted by a Milk Sampling Surveillance Officer to become a Certified Sampler within 90 days of employment and maintain valid certification.

This position has regulatory responsibilities and is subject to the provisions of s.112.313, F.S., and Section 60L – 36.003, Florida Administrative Code.

Occasional travel required. 

Must reside in required areas as specified in Division Policy A-10.

Some tasks will require evening, weekend and/or holiday activity, including overnight and/or extended travel.

NOTES:

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

JOB DUTIES:

Responsible for conducting regulatory inspections of dairy facilities under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as set forth in Chapter 502, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 5K-10, Florida Administrative Code, for compliance with regulatory, sanitation and consumer protection requirements. Performs initial inspections on dairy facilities, including wash stations, bulk milk tankers, and bulk milk hauler, evaluating and assessing the processes and activities conducted to determine the requirements for the specific business. Prepares reports to document regulatory deficiencies, interprets and explains significance of public health laws, rules and sanitation and safety standards to facility personnel, advising management of the necessary corrective action as part of each inspection. Reviews construction and/or alteration plans for dairy facilities to determine compliance with statute and rule. Initiates stop sale orders, stop use orders, destruction reports, release notices, and movement of goods under stop sale orders when indicated by inspection findings. Assists as needed in other areas of the state. Responsible for the operation, calibration and maintenance of inspection test equipment including, but not limited to, thermometers, milk testers, and associated equipment.

Collect samples of products from dairy facilities in accordance with the frequencies set by the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, as adopted in Department rule chapter 5K-10, Florida Administrative Code. Responsible for obtaining and maintaining sampling certification by a certified Milk Sampling Surveillance Officer.

Serves as subject matter expert on pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization testing and installation. Responsible for inspecting new/proposed installation of pasteurization systems to ensure compliance with Florida law. Incumbent will be responsible for training inspection staff on proper testing and management of public health controls on all pasteurization systems regulated within the Bureau of Wholesale and Dairy.

Administrative functions include the preparation and timely submission of accurate and complete inspection reports, sample collection reports, consumer complaint reports, daily activity reports, travel vouchers, expense vouchers, supply requisitions and other documents as may be required. Responsible for attending training sessions and courses as designated. Responsible at all times for following department policies and procedures and conducting official duties in a professional manner as a representative of FDACS. Performs other related duties as may be assigned.

Responsible for other inspection functions including, but not limited to, investigation of consumer complaints; follow-up reporting; food-borne illness investigations; information requests from consumers; initial inspections for new businesses; special inspections of fire or flood damaged dairy facilities; inspection of milk products in vehicles involved in accidents; multi-agency investigations/inspections or special projects. Responds to disaster or emergency situations and operates under incident command structure when required. Periodically handles emergency or request calls. Independently exercises professional judgment and institutes appropriate enforcement actions while discharging responsibilities. Uses effective judgment, knowledge of statutes and rules involved, and awareness of legal implications for compliance with regulations, sanitation, cleanliness, labeling and other food safety regulations and related requirements.

Provides consultation with other dairy facility inspectors and dairy facility owners on milk quality sanitation measures, construction of new facilities or major repair of current ones, including the physical facility and equipment compliance. Confers with facility owners as to how to get facilities into compliance after initial evaluation.  Performs other related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Theory and applied knowledge in biological, chemical, physical and environmental factors affecting food safety and related control measures.
• Ability to evaluate dairy facility structures, environment, equipment, methods and controls for compliance with regulatory requirements.
• KSA of dairy farming, milk and milk product processing equipment, sampling procedures, Florida dairy laws and rules, milk quality control, dairy chemistry and microbiology, cleaning and sanitizing procedures, water supplies, insect and rodent control, waste disposal, refrigeration equipment, record keeping and matters of public health as it relates to food safety.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment while conducting inspections and in instituting appropriate enforcement actions.
• Ability to prepare accurate and timely reports.
• Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds.
• Knowledge of personal computer hardware and software resources.
• Skill in the use of personal computers.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve basic personal computer hardware/software operation problems.
• Ability to train and instruct others utilizing sound communication skills.
  
  

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

SPECIAL NOTES:

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.