Qualified Official Auxiliary – Wales and West

Our Official Auxiliaries are vital parts of this process, delivering these standards through a number of means. These will include the performance of ante- and post-mortem inspections of animals, unannounced inspections on working practices across your dedicated site, the collecting and dispatching of samples for offsite analysis and communication with both FSA team members and onsite staff to create the safest and healthiest factory environment., Successful candidates will have 3 weeks to complete the pre-employment checking process. It is the candidates responsibility to ensure that they are forthcoming in providing their right to work documentation and completing any pre-employment actions.
The induction is scheduled to take place on 10/02/25. If the successful candidates are unable to commence their employment with the FSA on this date they will be placed on the reserve list and will be considered for any future vacancies over the next 12 months.
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all.
Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit.
Please be assured that diversity or socio–economic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications. Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only.
We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications. When candidates are invited for interview they will be asked to provide right to work documentation in advance before an offer of employment is made.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., + UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Are you a driven individual with excellent communication skills?
Are you looking for a rewarding role that will have a real life impact on everyone in the UK?

If so, these exciting opportunities to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a Qualified Official Auxiliary (OA) are for you and we’d love to hear from you!!, We are looking for driven individuals who are able to maintain focus on repetitive tasks. You will be comfortable working in a busy factory environment with early start times, working a core 37 hrs each week with an option to be deployed on a 5, 4 or 3- day working pattern based on business demand and operational requirements of the base plant allocated. You will have strong communication skills that will allow you to talk with onsite staff across company hierarchies to influence and guide decision making as part of our FSA team. A sharp attention to detail is required for this role, and as such we can regrettably only consider those with normal colour vision (trichromacy) for this role., Red Meat Inspection qualification or equivalent, · You have a Full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle
· You hold a Red Meat Inspection qualification or equivalent
If you cannot answer yes to these questions – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.
Essential criteria
Experience
· When have you managed multiple workloads successfully working within tight deadlines?
· Tell us about a time when you had to use your communication skills to influence a different outcome?
· How have you used Microsoft Office or equivalent in your work, study or other tasks?
When submitting you personal statement, you are encouraged to use the full 750 words available to the best of your ability, as this will help the panel to determine your suitability to be taken through for interview.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience criteria:
Experience
· Experience of working under pressure and remaining calm in stressful situations
· Self-motivated and able to work with minimum supervision as part of a team
· Experience of building effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
· Experience of being thorough and paying attention to detail

The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”. As we have now exited the EU the FSA faces a significant period of change and activity., Click the video below to hear from Dineka, to hear what it’s like to be a Meat and Dairy Inspector:
The heart of the FSA’s mission is to deliver “food we can trust” and having left the EU and spent a year facing up to the impact of Covid-19, it is more vital than ever that every precaution is taken to ensure the food on Britain’s plates is safe to eat, and exactly what it says it is.

Our meat production systems in abattoirs are one of the vital points of contact between the FSA and the food industry and represent an important on-the-ground part of our work. By ensuring high standards of animal welfare, quality control and workplace best practice are adhered to, we can make an active and ongoing difference in both the quality of the meat that reaches our plates but also the reputation that our nation and its food exports have on the global markets. The work the FSA does in abattoirs and food processing plants across the country each day has impact far beyond those factory walls.

Cluster 25 – ABP Yetminster, Chetnole Rd, Yetminster, DT9 6 (1 post)
(Working hours: Monday 07.30am – 17.15pm, Tuesday 0700am – 17.45pm, Wednesday & Thursday 07.00am – 17.45 pm, Friday 07.00am – 15.45pm), Alongside your salary of £28,259, Food Standards Agency contributes £8,186 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.