Technical Executive, Environmental Health

Closing Date: Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Closing Time: Midnight

Vacancy Description:

Location: Dublin
Salary: From €33,151.00 to €55,932.00

JOB PURPOSE

The job holder will be responsible on their own initiative, or with others, for monitoring and actioning food alert notifications and food incidents on a daily basis, participating in and co-ordinating investigations as required and for undertaking quality projects on food safety and hygiene issues. Activity will involve the collection, collation and evaluation of information on technical subjects of food safety and hygiene.

The job holder will contribute to the development of proposals on policies, strategies, and associated legislation to meet the FSAI’s objectives.

JOB ENVIRONMENT

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is an independent statutory body, set up under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act 1998. Our mission is to protect peoples’ health and peoples’ interests by ensuring that food consumed and produced in the State meets the highest standards of food safety reasonably achievable and that people have accurate and worthwhile information about the nature of the foods they eat. (See http://www.fsai.ie for further information).

The obligations of the FSAI with regard to food safety and hygiene are extensive and onerous. It is important that the response of the FSAI to food safety issues is proportionate to the risks involved. A detailed knowledge of the various regulations and standards is essential along with practical experience of their application in a variety of situations.

PRINCIPAL JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Assist the Chief Specialist, Environmental Health with the management of food incidents, including the EU Food Alert system
  • Liaise with official agencies, food business operators and representative groups on matters relating to food incidents
  • Provide advice on food safety matters as requested Provide technical reports, support/assistance to Chief Specialist, Environmental Health and others as required
  • Assist in the development of appropriate codes of practice in relation to technical, scientific and enforcement issues and to present training courses in these codes
  • Assist in the promotion of a food safety culture in Ireland
  • Keep up to date on developments in areas of specialisation and in job accountabilities
  • Other duties as assigned

Additional Information

APPLICATIONS

If you are interested in applying for this position, please email a CV along with a covering letter, in strictest confidence, to: recruitment@fsai.ie  

Closing date for receipt of applications is (midnight) Wednesday, 15th February 2012.

It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.

This job description is subject to change from time to time, in line with the FSAI’s work requirements.

The FSAI is an equal opportunities employer.

Canvassing will disqualify.

Cuirefear fáilte roimh chomhfhreagras in gGaeilge.

Required Qualifications

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Candidates must have a third level qualification in food science, environmental health or equivalent related discipline. A post graduate qualification would be an advantage

  • Candidates must have a minimum of two years experience in food or regulatory environments
  • A high level of computer proficiency. The standard business software in the FSAI is Microsoft Windows XP Pro and Office 2007

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

1. Team Working - The ability to participate effectively in teams, develop excellent working relationships, deliver one’s best, and help/lead others to do likewise to achieve a common goal

  • Communication
    The ability to communicate with others in a manner that conveys the key message(s) and is appropriate to the audience
  • Networking/Influencing
    The ability to develop and maintain a network of contacts through a personalised approach and to use this to influence people and situations while recognising the social and political currents

2. Focus on Quality Results - The ability to set, meet, and surpass high standards of performance, and consistently deliver high quality results

  • Concern for Clarity and Work Quality
    The ability to reduce uncertainty by monitoring and checking work or information and insisting on clarity of roles and functions
  • Customer Service
    A desire to help or serve customers. It involves focusing one’s efforts on discovering and meeting customer needs

3. Decision Making - The ability to make informed decisions or judgements about situations or issues where a course of action is needed

  • Information Seeking and Management
    The ability to ‘dig’ for information and use it effectively. This may apply to information currently required or information that may be of future use
  • Analytical Thinking
    The ability to understand a complex problem or situation and approach it in a step-by-step way
  • Conceptual Thinking
    The ability to identify patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related and to identify key or underlying issues in complex situations

4. Goal Setting The ability to set clear and realistic goals in line with Food Safety Authority Strategy and Work Plans and deliver the best outcome in each instance

  • Personal Effectiveness
    The ability to manage time, tasks and competing demands always delivering on priorities to the highest standards