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Official Veterinarian - Scotland

Employer
Food Standards Scotland
Location
Various across Scotland
Salary
Salary: £31,266 - £35,813
Closing date
19 Aug 2021

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Job Details

We are currently seeking applications for Official Veterinarians within Food Standard Scotland based in various locations across Scotland.Food standards mountain biker

The practice:
Everyone who works for FSS plays their part in our shared aims – safe food and healthy eating. We employ food safety, food standards and nutrition experts including scientists, front line inspectors, enforcement and policy delivery teams and administrators.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer and we operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for people with disabilities who meet the minimum published criteria. We are a Disability Confident Employer and aim to treat everyone fairly and with respect.

We believe our workforce should reflect the people of Scotland. We treat all staff equally and employ people on the basis of their merit – their skills, aptitudes and attitude.

FSS take pride in developing our employees, and there are numerous opportunities within Scottish Government, of which we are an Executive Agency.

The role:Food standards meat vet at work
The Official Veterinarian (OV) role is one of the key front-line operational roles within the FSS. These staff deliver Official Controls (OC) in approved premises across the Scotland, ensuring that meat produced is safe for human consumption. They also deliver certification and checks on products destined for export.

The core work for the OV remains the delivery of Official Controls for safe meat production in Red and White meat slaughterhouses and Game handling establishments (GHE's) within Scotland.

The FSS OV provides a technical and leadership role, in approved premises providing technical advice and direction to the plant inspection team to ensure the efficient and consistent delivery of Official Controls and associated tasks, as defined within the SMOC.

Successful candidate:
Qualifications Required:

Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS)
Official Veterinarian (Red/White) or OV Appointment

Essential Criteria:

  1. Strong organisational skills, adaptable and able to deliver to agreed timescales and deadlines.
  2. Excellent verbal (English) and written communication skills.
  3. Ability to work well and lead a team as well as independently with minimum supervision to achieve objectives.
  4. Able to build professional relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

The package:
Successful candidates will be offered Scottish Government terms and conditions and as well as a competitive salary, you‘ll have access to a comprehensive range of benefits including:

  • Annual leave and public holidays: 25 days rising to 30 days after 4 years’ service plus 11.5 days public holidays
  • No overnight/on call work
  • Access to a diverse range of training and development opportunities including FSS External Development Sponsorship programme
  • Civil Service Pension Scheme www.foodstandards.gov.scot/vacancies
  • Professional membership fees relevant to your job (subject to approval)
  • Non cash benefits including discounts and savings scheme, cycle to work scheme
  • Generous sick pay entitlements and access to occupational health services and Employee Assistance Programme

The Head Office of FSS is based in Aberdeen, however, our Veterinarians are based in teams across Scotland. With its excellent quality of life and beautiful countryside, beaches and historical culture to explore this makes Scotland a great place to live and work.

Salary: £31,266 - £35,813

To submit your application, click the apply button.

Reference: IRC88603E
Closing date: midnight 19th August 2021

Company

Food Standards Scotland is involved all along the food chain to make sure the food you eat is safe, and is what it says it is. We're also here to give healthy eating advice based on the best available, trusted scientific evidence.

If you work in the food environment – whether it’s in production, manufacture, retail or catering – this section can help you produce safe food and meet your legal requirements too. You can also search our site for the latest food-related scientific research and for help if you're a teacher or work in childcare.

It is the responsibility of all food businesses to place safe food on the market, and in order to achieve this, a framework of food safety and hygiene legislation is in place within which businesses must operate. This includes the requirement that all food businesses (other than those involved in primary production, transport and storage) must have a food safety management system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). 

While the general rules (such as the HACCP requirement) set out in Regulation (EC) 852/2004 apply to all businesses, additional specific requirements are in place for businesses handling higher risk products.

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down specific hygiene requirements that must be implemented by food businesses handling food of animal origin at all stages of the food chain. It requires that Food Business Operators place products of animal origin on the market only if they have been prepared and handled exclusively in establishments:

  • that meet the relevant requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004,
  • that are specifically approved by the competent authority (unless explicitly exempt -  read advice on registration and approval), and
  • that apply the specific controls set out by sector in Regulation (EC) 853/2004.

Exemptions from 853/2004 approval requirements

Decisions on whether or not businesses require to be either approved or registered  are based on the legal requirements set out in regulation 852/2004 and 853/2004.  Approval is not required in the following circumstances:

  • primary production for private domestic use,
  • the domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption,
  • the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer,
  • the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying such meat to the final consumer as fresh meat, or
  • hunters who supply small quantities of wild game or wild game meat directly to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer.

We have produced guidance for all establishments requiring approval in our Approved Establishments Scottish National Protocol. Read further guidance for FSS approved establishments.

Further information

This section includes advice and guidance for businesses on how to comply with the regulations which apply to the production of red meat, pork, poultry and game, as well as requirements relating to minced meat, meat products, animal by-products and edible co-products.

If you have any other questions regarding the hygiene, production or regulatory requirements for meat, poultry and game which are not covered in the above sub-sections, please contact foodenquiries@fss.scot. Businesses should in the first instance speak to their local enforcement authority.

  • If your local enforcement authority is FSS please contact us
  • If your local enforcement auhthority you must contact them
Company info
Website
Telephone
01224 285100
Location
4th Floor
Pilgrim House
Old Ford Rd
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
AB11 5RL
GB

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