University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Department of Animal Sciences

Research Specialist/Senior Research Specialist in Agriculture – Meats Science Laboratory

WE TRANSFORM LIVES.

Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence.

Be a part of our story.

The Department of Animal Sciences operates our animal farms, laboratories, Feed Technology Center, meat and egg sales room, and other facilities to give students working experience in the field and to advance basic discovery and applied production research. Our farms operate on 1,300 acres, housing beef and dairy cattle, poultry, sheep, swine, and horses, and turning grain and forage into feed and bedding for our animals. And our facilities don’t stop at the boundary of our Urbana campus; we maintain and study herds at research and Extension centers throughout Illinois. The Meat Science Laboratory and Meat and Egg Sales are an integral part of our farm operations. This unit supports the needs of meat science research, which focuses on fresh meat quality and further processing. It also provides training and hands-on experience for students planning on careers in the meat industry. The unit supports some of the most visible parts of our department to the community and beyond through Meat and Egg Sales, BBQ and Grilling courses and outreach, and meats judging activities within the state and nationwide.

SHORT DESCRIPTION SUMMARIZING POSITION:

Full-time 100%, professional position will manage operations, work closely with faculty conducting hands-on research, coordinating teaching, and upholding regulatory compliance at the Meat Science Lab in Urbana, IL.

Specialist DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Operation and Maintenance

1. Coordinate slaughter and production schedule for the Meat Science Laboratory including

a. Arrange and interface with USDA inspection service to ensure coverage and maintain compliance

b. Procurement of animals, ingredients, supplies, and resources needed

c. Interaction with other farm units to obtain animals and plan for future needs

2. Lead operations including the slaughter of animals, fabrication of carcasses, production, and further processed products

a. Setup the facility for operations days

b. Develop and implement SSOPs for operation

c. Determine and maintain needed inventory of products for wholesale and retail

d. Oversee the sales room operations including pricing, customer service, hours of operation, staffing, and advertisement.

3. Provide day-to-day supervision of personnel of academic and non-academic staff working in the facility.

Additional duties For Senior Research Specialist:

a. Establish written and well-developed “Standard Operation Procedures”, and enforce them.

b. Establish and maintain professional standards for facility appearance. Supervise maintenance of facilities to ensure competence and integrity of research efforts.

c. Assist with the sale of products.

Specialist DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Regulatory and Financial Oversight

1. Maintain fiscal responsibility at the facility including management of facility expenses, development of budgets and reports, recovery of teaching and research costs, and maintenance of accounting records for budgetary and compliance purposes.

d. Maintain current and develop new avenues for retail and wholesale of meat products

e. Hire and supervise needed staff to maintain operations and optimize staff costs

2. Promote and maintain a work environment with the highest standards of worker safety

a. Attend departmental operational, safety, and development meetings.

b. Establish and maintain professional and safe standards for facility appearance.

c. Supervise maintenance of facilities to ensure competence and integrity of research efforts.

d. Provide training on and reinforcement of safe working standards including lock-out, tag-out, use of PPE, and electrical and chemical safety

e. Maintain records of safety inspections and accident reports.

Additional duties For Senior Research Specialist:

a. Ensure regulatory compliance with FSIS and other food safety-based regulations

b. Conduct cost-benefit analyses to identify areas where expenses can be reduced or efficiency can be improved.

c. Implement cost-saving measures without compromising the quality of research or compliance.

d. Maintain records in accordance to departmental standards.

e. Develop and execute long-term financial and operational strategies.

Specialist DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Research, Teaching, Outreach, and Support

1. Coordinate facility use and availability for educational needs of faculty, graduate students, and others at the Meat Science Lab.

a. Coordinate teaching laboratory sections at the unit.

b. Interact with meats and other evaluation coaches to schedule practices, contests, and other activities to support evaluation teams

c. Oversee the procurement of animals and production of needed products for educational needs

2. Establish and reinforce consistent practices to produce high-quality research results

a. Provide ongoing training of research personnel in slaughter techniques, carcass fabrication, further processing of meat products, and retail meat merchandising.

b. Establish written research targets, develop "Standard Operating Procedures", and enforce consistent research methodology associated with the unit.

3. Other duties as assigned to support the unit and department.

Additional duties For Senior Research Specialist:

a. When appropriate, engage in classroom demonstrations to enhance the teaching program of the department and college

b. Collect, analyze, evaluate, and summarize empirical data including formulation of recommendations and implementation of improvements and planning to facilitate programmatic goals.

c. Design, develop, implement, integrate, and maintain research data collection systems for the unit.

d. Interact with state and national stakeholders to promote the University of Illinois and extend our land-grant mission by providing expertise for stakeholder issues

e. Prepare carcasses for evaluation as needed.

Some work will be required during evenings and/or weekends. When working, the employee may be exposed to a variety of environmental factors including, but not limited to, hot or cold weather, exposure to noise and allergens, and uneven ground. In performing the functions of this position, the employee may be subjected to various mental and physical demands as well to include, but not limited to, independently traveling to and performing work at different locations, lifting and moving items that may frequently weigh up to seventy-five (75) pounds and occasionally weigh up to one hundred and fifty (150) pounds, and twisting, pushing and pulling movements. More detailed information regarding the functions of this position (including the physical, mental and environmental requirements of the position) may be obtained from Human Resources for the Department of Animal Sciences by contacting jfmosley@illinois.edu.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Required: B.S. degree in Animal Sciences or a related field.

Preferred: M.S. degree with a specialization in meat science.

Experience

Required: 2 years of hands-on experience managing a meat production facility (6+ years for Senior Research Specialist). Computer experience in record keeping and inventory management. Supervisory experience (4+ years for Senior Research Specialist).

Preferred: 6 years of hands-on experience managing a meat production facility (8+ years for Senior Research Specialist). Previous experience in managing a FSIS-inspected meat production facility. Experience in management of employees including conflict resolution, scheduling and training. Experience with facility maintenance and overseeing these types of projects.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required: Must be detail oriented, organized and able to address multiple deadlines simultaneously. The successful candidate must be capable of working compatibly with other employees and staff. Successful applicants must also be able to communicate well, both in written and oral formats, with faculty, administrators, inspectors, veterinarians, students, staff, and visitors. Ability and proficiency in humane slaughter techniques and fabrication of meat animals and meat products.

Preferred: Understanding of research design and data collection standards. Experience with development of HACCP plans and SSOPs. Demonstrated involvement and leadership in meat-industry organizations.

SALARY AND APPOINTMENT DETAILS: Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The previously determined range for Research Specialist is $60,000 - $70,000; Senior Research Specialist is $70,000 -- $84,000. This is a full time, 100% professional appointment.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

PROPOSED STARTING DATE: As soon as possible after the close of the search

APPLICATION PROCEDURES: Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of the posting on https://jobs.illinois.edu and upload your cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references. To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on September 27, 2024. All requested information must be submitted via the online system for your application to be considered.

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The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

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Requisition ID: 1026303
Job Category: Research
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu