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Job description

DAERA Agriculture Inspectors Group 1 safeguard animal and plant health at a range of sites at specified locations across Northern Ireland and will receive training to deliver on their priority work areas . The location and business priorities across DAERA will determine the nature of your key responsibilities. The successful candidates will be required to carry out duties, detailed below, to meet the objectives of the business areas. The duties, which are interesting and worthwhile, are also physically demanding and undertaken outdoors and in all weathers. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided..

Responsibilities

• Monitoring the import and export of livestock, animal products, poultry, plants and timber.
• Ensuring compliance with import and export regulations, complete checks to detect and prevent illegal movements and illegal import of products of animal origin.
• Issuing rectification and detention notices for non-compliances.
• Assisting with the investigation of animal import and export discrepancies.
• Completing inspections at Ports and Airports to prevent the entry of Epizootic disease. They will also complete checks for trade purposes.
• Auditing Scrapie Monitored flocks annually. This is to ensure compliance with the scheme rules regarding animal identification, record keeping and that the premises meet the required standard.
• This enhances the marketability of high genetic merit animals to other EU member states.
• Ensuring they have the knowledge to assist in the event of an Epizootic disease outbreak.
• This could involve taking a lead role in the event of an outbreak e.g. Site Operation Controller or Team Leader of one of the other teams.
• Responsibility for investigating queries passed from their line management, from Customer Service Branch or from the veterinary cadre within their work area.
• Investigating discrepancies relating to Identification, Registration and Movement (IRM) of livestock.
• This involves a physical inspection of an animal and possible re-identification. This ensures public confidence in our food animal information systems.
• Investigating discrepancies relating to imports and exports, often outside core hours and without direct access to line management.
• Having a key role in liaising with Private Veterinary Practitioners (PVPs), herd/flock keepers, landowners, livestock transporters and the general public.
• Providing the initial response to on-farm welfare complaints as directed by their line management and complete the inspection report form.
• The Inspector Group 1 will request a veterinarian to attend the farm in any case of unnecessary suffering.
• Inspecting applications for animal group numbers. They will confirm the identity of the applicants.
• They will check boundary fences, housing, isolation facilities and testing facilities and report on their suitability.
• Inspecting the cleansing and disinfection of premises and equipment during disease outbreaks.
• Responsibility for enforcing legislation relating to the welfare of animals during transport. They will issue notices for any non-compliances found.
• Investigating reports of livestock carcasses dumped or not disposed of. The post holder will issue disposal notices and complete a follow-up inspection to check for compliance.
• Completing Biosecurity Surveys, Dairy Herd Questionnaires and Medicine Record Inspections. Completing inspections at rendering plants.
• Ensuring that they have the equipment required for a task and ensure it is fit for purpose. The necessary PPE will be provided. Inspections of livestock and livestock vehicles moving through Northern Ireland ports.
• Collecting blood samples from all species of farmed animals for disease detection and survey work.
• Collecting samples as part of the On-farm Residues National Plan and ensure they are stored and transported in accordance with requirements. All relevant sample submission and continuity forms will be completed.
• Collecting samples for salmonella testing from different categories of poultry flocks. This work requires high biosecurity standards and communication and coordination with poultry processing representatives.
• Dectection and seizure of potentially harmful illegal imports which could pose a risk to both animal and public health.
• When a prosecution case is being taken the Inspector Group 1 will, when required, provide a witness statement and attend court to present evidence.
• The Inspector Group 1 may be involved in wildlife intervention work in relation to eradicating Bovine Tuberculosis (Tb).
• Gathering data by completing Tb Disease Investigation forms. This includes mapping farms and recommending to veterinary and group staff managers which neighbouring herds are at risk.
• The data gathered enables veterinary staff to make evidence based decisions when managing a disease outbreak in a herd/region.
• The post holders provide a unique contribution to assisting in providing assurance on the:
• Compliant movement of plants for planting, seed potatoes and used agriculture machinery into NI ; Assist in preventing imports of non-compliant material;
• Maintain NI plant health status through encouraging compliance and initiating enforcement actions where appropriate.
• Support completion when required of pre-notified documentary checks on DAERA and EU digital systems at the Point Of Entry (POE)
• of plants for planting and seed potatoes and forward where set out in legislation for physical verification and validation checks.
• Undertake the delivery of POE SPS Scheme verification and validation checks on pre notified consignments of plants for planting,
• seed potatoes and used agricultural machinery and regulated goods at NI POEs to confirm by assessment that goods meet applicable regulatory requirements.
• Verification through a physical process including identity and physical checks, confirm that all regulated goods, including plants for planting,
• seed potatoes and used agriculture and forestry machinery bearing a NIPHL or goods supported by a Phytosanitary certificate , match details provided on pre-notified documentation (checked by a plant health AO documentary checkers)..
• Following satisfactory verification all prenotified regulated goods described will be validated as meeting identity and physical checks on digital systems in place.
• Undertake as directed the collection of samples of plants and plant products at the POE or on occasions elsewhere inland of plants for planting and seed potatoes and dispatch for official analysis..
• Where necessary detain goods where the presence of a quarantine pest is suspected and seek support from line management to implement emergency actions if required.
• For further information, please refer to the Candidate Information Booklet (CIB)

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Applicants must have by the closing date for applications: 1. 2 GCSEs /GCE O levels or equivalent (please refer to the CIB), at Grade C or above in Maths and English
• AND 2. (i) at least a Level 3 Diploma in Work-based Agriculture OR (ii) Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture OR (iii) Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Agriculture
• OR (iv) Equivalent Examples of equivalent qualifications: A National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at Level 3 in Livestock or Crop Production or Poultry A National Diploma in Agriculture Please refer to the CIB for further information
• AND 3. At least 3 month's relevant post qualification work experience in the agriculture industry
• AND 4. A full, current driving licence enabling the licence holder to drive in Northern Ireland and access to a form of transport which will permit them to meet the requirements of the post in full.

Further Information

Larne Port, Belfast Port and Belfast International Airport NICS Application form only, Vacacny closing date Friday 24th May 2024 at 12 noon. Applications from women, young people (people under the age of 35), people with a disability and people from minority ethnic communities are particularly welcomed for this post. The Northern Ireland Civil Service is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit

Application Information

Visit the recruitment service website www.nicsrecruitment.org.uk (Please quote reference number: IRC301432)