Animal Food Safety Analyst - Management Analyst

Agriculture - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division is one of the seven divisions in the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The FSCS Division serves consumers and stakeholders in the state of Washington by assuring the availability, safety, and integrity of the state's human and animal food supply. The division is made up of approximately 100+ FTEs through five statewide programs, including:
Animal Feed, FSCS Laboratory, Food Safety, Organic, and Produce Safety. We also house the Rapid Response Team that manages food and feed emergency responses.

The Opportunity

The Animal Feed Program (AFP) within the Food Safety & Consumer Services Division serves the people and animals of Washington and beyond by regulating the safety and integrity of animal food, to protect animal and public health and ensure market fairness. WSDA AFP regulates any entity that manufactures, transloads, processes, packs, or holds animal food in Washington State and any entity that distributes in or into Washington State or is a guarantor (responsible for) on the label of an animal food product.

Therefore, regulation is not only statewide but nationally and internationally for those companies that do business in Washington. We license firms, register and review pet and specialty pet food products, collect tonnage information and fees, conduct field activities such as inspections, sampling, investigations, recalls and technical assistance and provide outreach and education. WSDA AFP has implemented and is maintaining the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS), which is a set of eleven standards utilized to improve animal food regulatory programs as well as implement preventive controls regulatory activities, and to encourage domestic mutual reliance amongst animal food regulatory agencies and an integrated food safety system.

The Animal Food Safety Analyst will support animals, consumers, industry, and the program by analyzing animal food adulteration/outbreak data and peer reviewed scientific journals to develop and formulate recommendations and work products for industry best practices, resources, tools, trainings, outreach, and strategies to improve the awareness and education of animal food safety and integrity and the prevention of animal food adulteration and misbranding.

This position will also coordinate animal food complaint investigations, compliance and enforcement, and will act as a backup field trainer and auditor. This position provides at least journey level analyses to management, staff, and customers. This position also provides consultation to resolve a variety of management issues.

Important Notes

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time project Management Analyst 3 position within the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division. This position is located in Davenport, Washington. This is a non-represented position.

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is:
Range 54 Step A $61,332 - Step L $80,496 annually.

What to Expect Some of the various responsibilities within this role:

• Research, analyze, develop and maintain procedures and resources related to animal food safety and integrity.
• Research for and identify, draft, and assist with the implementation and maintenance of policies, education, and tools that would increase prevention of…