See Food Safety Compliance Specialist 2

Serves as a subject matter expert in one or more technical subject areas within the Food, Feed or Produce Safety Programs. Provides expert level technical assistance and conducts complex inspections to ensure continued economic vitality and product protection.

This class requires written designation by the appointing authority or designee as the expert technical resource for complex food processing concepts or as a technical coordinator for highly specialized food manufacturing regulatory requirements. The duties assigned will require interprogram, interagency, and statewide coordination to lead workgroups to complete assignments with significant national impact.

Conducts training of program staff;

Participates in stakeholder outreach with the program’s regulated industries;

Evaluates a firm’s control of public health risks by performing independent inspections of conditions in facilities that hold, pack, transfer or produce Grade ‘A’ Dairy, animal food, produce or manufactured food products;

Obtains and maintains Sanitation Rating Officer status as defined by the Food and Drug Administration;

Conducts sanitation surveys (inspections) of Dairy Producers (Bulk Tank Units), Milk Plants and Single Service Manufacturers for conformance to the Food and Drug Administration’s Interstate Milk Shippers program requirements;

Obtains and maintains delegation as Sampling Surveillance Officer as defined by the Food and Drug Administration;

Collects food, dairy and water samples at required intervals to comply with regulation and for surveillance testing as part of the public health system;

Acts as point of contact for the region when needed;

Leads development of educational materials and presents to internal and external stakeholders;

Provides training and mentoring to other staff;

Performs independent research to provide expert technical guidance to the program, licensees and the general public;

Completes various reports such as maintaining database records, assignment lists and providing timesheets in a timely manner.

Knowledge of: theory, principles and application of food safety sanitation concepts, dairy and/or food processing technology, federal, state, and local laws and regulations concerning manufacturing, processing, storage, handling and sale of fresh and processed foodstuffs or of milk and dairy products as well as a variety of specialized foods.

Ability to: apply and enforce laws and regulations, using maturity and judgment, as well as the power of the law; understand and interpret written and oral directions and specifications; deal tactfully with the public, government, and industrial officials; prepare written reports and make oral presentations; consult with and advise plant owners and personnel on design and operation of plants and farms to comply with sanitation requirements, laws and regulations; work independently; travel frequently and for extended periods; traverse uneven or steep terrain in rural environments and climb ladders in industrial manufacturing warehouses.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

A Bachelor's degree involving major study in business, microbiology, food science, food technology, biochemistry, dairy science, environmental health or a degree in a closely allied field.


Three years of equivalent public health regulatory-related experience or food manufacturing experience.

Additional experience will substitute for education on a year for year basis.

New class adopted July 1, 2023.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.