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- Inspect the premises of food producers to make sure they meet health and safety standards
- You'll need good attention to detail and observational skills
- You may need to inspect slaughterhouses so need to be comfortable with seeing unprocessed meat products
As a food manufacturing inspector, you'll be responsible for ensuring hygiene and safety standards are met in the food manufacturing process.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Inspecting conditions in slaughterhouses and processing plants
- Carrying out quality control checks
- Testing samples of raw ingredients and processed products
- Analysing and presenting results
- Making sure production processes meet hygiene regulations
- Training production staff in the importance of safety standards
- Checking labelling and packaging
- Writing quality reports
- Advising companies about making improvements
- Issuing warning notices
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Your working environment may be at a manufacturing plant, in a factory or in an office. Working days are typically Monday to Friday, although spot checks could be made at any time. You'll travel between food production premises, so you'll usually need a driving licence to travel easily between sites.
You'll need
For this role, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, the ability to work well with others, patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, thinking and reasoning skills, the ability to analyse quality and performance, the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues, excellent verbal communication skills, and legal knowledge.
To apply directly, you may need a minimum of 5 GCSEs, including English, science and maths, experience in food production and good knowledge of food laws.
Some employers may expect you to have qualifications in food technology, biology or chemistry. Others may ask for experience as a qualified environmental health officer, and all employers will need you to have food hygiene certificates.
You can also get this job by doing a food and drink process operator advanced apprenticeship, or college courses such as the Level 3 Diploma in Food and Drink Operations.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience you could become a food safety manager, coordinating the work of a team of inspectors. You could also move into environmental health or food science after training.