FOOD EDUCATION SPECIALIST (50075457)

Job Role Summary

The Food Education Specialist coordinates and provides food safety education for industry, consumers, and the community. This position organizes and provides specialized food safety training curriculum throughout the year. The Food Education Specialist creates, maintains and updates food safety education and outreach materials. Requires interaction with and maintaining contacts in industry, academia and the community. Responsibilities include initial and ongoing training for departmental staff and coordinating training and shadowing experiences for interns and medical professionals.

Essential Duties

• Responsible for maintaining, updating and designing educational materials for staff, industry and consumers. 
• Presents food safety educational curriculum to industry and consumers. Updates PowerPoint and supporting materials as needed based on emerging food safety trends and planned foodborne illness interventions. Coordinates presentations and registration. 
• Ensures department is meeting Standard 7 of the FDA Voluntary Retail Food Program Standards. Updates policies and procedures as needed.
• Coordinates training for new employees and in-service training for current employees. Works with management to monitor staff training and continuing education units in accordance with Standard 2 of the FDA Voluntary Retail Food Program Standards. 
• Coordinates shadowing experiences for interns, MCPHD staff or other agencies as needed. 
• Perform risk based inspections of retail food establishments to ensure they are meeting state, local and federal codes and regulations through education, regulation and enforcement. Reduce foodborne illness by focusing on reduction of contributing factors and assisting operators in achieving active managerial control of foodborne illness risk factors. 
• Provides clear and accurate technical reports of inspection outcomes, determines corrective actions, and discusses findings with food establishment representative. 
• Responds to requests for service from consumers, including single person foodborne illness investigations. Pursues appropriate corrective action and communicates results to consumer. 
• Ensures compliance and performs follow-up inspections and initiates enforcement steps when necessary, including: issuing civil penalties, license suspensions or filing for court. Staff may be required to appear in court to provide testimony. 
• Provide food safety education and supporting materials to food establishment’s owners, management, staff and consumers. 
• Maintain assigned district, meeting or exceeding departmental goals. 

Associated Job Duties

• Work with other members of staff on projects, including foodborne illness outbreak response. 
• Work with Public Relations for outreach through media outlets.
• Assist staff in other districts as needed; perform establishment level food safety educational presentations on request.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, with a concentration in Environmental Health, Microbiology, Food Science, or closely related science based curriculum. Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to present educational materials in front of small groups and large audiences.
• Use of personal vehicle required.

Licenses/Certifications Required

• Passage of an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved foodhandler certification exam or obtainment of the Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS) credential within first year of employment. 
• Valid Indiana Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Meet departmental objectives and guidelines in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration Voluntary Retail Food Program Regulatory Standards (VNRFRPS). Goals include pre and post education; field inspections objectives; continuing education and adherence to departmental policies.
• Effective interpersonal, oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate clearly with clients, other professionals and the general public. Ability to understand, interpret, and convey technical information to reach desired outcomes and protect public health.  
• Knowledge of food safety standards and principles, including the VNRFRPS.
• Ability to work independently performing regulatory oversight of retail food establishments in assigned district.
• Strong organizational skills, including ability to prioritize higher risk inspections and objectives.
• Ability to function effectively under stress, including working with unreceptive clients or working in unsafe conditions.
• Knowledge of basic computer programs and ability to effectively learn and utilize inspection software.

Working Environment

• Moderate unconfined sitting. Steady use of hands and fingers; use of computer keyboard and monitor.
• Considerable physical effort in walking, standing and bending during food establishment inspections. Must carry and utilize computer tablet, printer and necessary equipment to effectively perform a food establishment inspection.
• Exposure to extreme heat and cold, excessive noise, and slippery and uneven walking surfaces during inspections.
• Requires working around machinery and equipment with moving parts or hot surfaces.
• Exposure to sanitizing and cleaning chemicals, steam, smoke, grease, strong odors and insects or vermin with food establishments.
• Occasional work outside regular business hours (evenings and weekends) as needed.
• Automobile driving for all field inspection duties, in varying weather conditions.
• Moderate light lifting.
• Occasional need to relate to members of the public who exhibit challenging, atypical or hostile behaviors and/or communication.