Consumer Safety Officer
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Posted: January 26, 2026 (0 days ago)
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
Location
Salary
$34,701 - $101,988
per year
Type
Full Time
More Inspection & Compliance jobs →Closes
Base salary range: $33,878 - $44,042
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience. Bachelor's degree.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This entry-level role with NOAA involves inspecting seafood and food processing facilities to ensure they meet safety standards, reviewing records, and helping enforce consumer protection laws.
It's ideal for recent graduates with a background in sciences or related fields who are detail-oriented and interested in public health and environmental protection.
The job supports international trade in safe seafood products across multiple U.S. locations.
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce (IATC) Seafood Inspection Program, with 11 vacancies in Long Beach, CA; Hollywood, FL; Gloucester, MA; and Seattle, WA This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-26-12869774-ST, which is open to Status Candidates.
You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both. Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.
This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified.
Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. The education must have been obtained at a college, university, or an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary, U.S.
Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. You MUST meet the following requirements: You MUST meet the following requirements: EDUCATION: A.
Degree: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provided knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work.
The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that included the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming. OR B.
Combination of education and experience: Combination of education and experience--courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.
Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
This experience need not have been in the federal government.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations e.g., professional; philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
To qualify at the ZP-1 or GS-05 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants that meet Basic Education Requirements for the series are considered qualified at the ZP-1 or GS-05.
To qualify at the ZP-2 or GS-07 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-01 or GS-05 in the Federal service.
Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Participating in performing food inspections; and Assisting in the review of records of food processing facilities inspections.
OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education.
OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: As demonstrated by a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one of the following.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet the provision below: A grade point average (GPA) of 2.9 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study; A GPA of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; Class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; Membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies.
OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Major Duties:
As a Consumer Safety Officer, you will perform the following duties: Conduct audits of seafood processing facilities and vessels to evaluate conformity with regulations, program policy, and industry standards for ensuring safe, healthy and quality seafood products in manufacturing processes.
Perform inspections of raw and processed seafood products to evaluate the safety, quality, and health of the products in accordance with regulations, grade standards, program policy, and item descriptions or specifications.
Support the implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process in facility audits and inspections to identify violations, recommend corrective actions, and develop HACCP and quality management programs in processing plants and vessels in compliance with regulations and program policy.
Note: The duties described above are at the ZP-2 level and the ZP-1 is the developmental grade level leading to such performance. The full performance level for this position is a ZP-3.
The ZP-1 is equivalent to the GS-05. The ZP-2 is equivalent the the GS-07/09. The full performance level for this position is a ZP-3. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle.
Incumbent must possess a valid driver's license to travel to seafood processing locations, and/or transport samples for inspection, on a regular and recurring basis.
This position has physical requirements. Must be able to lift 50 pounds or more.
Must possess sensory abilities (sight, smell, taste) which are capable of detecting and identifying abnormalities (defects) in product characteristics.
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