Campus

OSU-Stillwater

Contact Name & Email

Roy Escoubas, roy.escoubas@okstate.edu

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.

Appointment Length

Regular Continuous/Until Further Notice

Hiring Range

Commensurate with education and experience

About this Position

ABOUT US:

For many, Oklahoma's food and agricultural industries evoke thoughts of wheat and cattle. While that is a rich part of Oklahoma's heritage and a significant portion of our economy, many of these commodities are currently sent to other states or even other countries for further processing into the bakery, meat, and other products that reach the consumers' table. We strive to help develop value-added enterprises to keep the products, jobs, and dollars in Oklahoma.

For more information, visit https://food.okstate.edu/

This position includes leadership and collaboration in the Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) initiatives. Key responsibilities include:

Participate as a team leader or member in all FAPC activities.

• Manage, lead, and/or participate in all food industry client processed meats programs.
• Manage, lead, and/or participate in internal and external workshops and training sessions, particularly those relating to the meat/poultry industries.
• Manage, lead, and/or participate in all client’s processed meats and quality assistance, compliance, and certification programs for federal and Oklahoma regulatory agencies.
• Manage, lead, and/or participate in all food industry client technical assistance, manufacturing problem solving, and product improvement associated with processed meats, safety compliance, food product labeling, product recalls, and other food safety and food quality-related client needs relating to processed meats.
• Manage, lead, and/or participate in in-plant technical training, instruction, and mentoring of plant leadership and labor on processed meats quality, technology, compliance, and marketing issues associated with the facility’s manufacturing lines, product flow, and equipment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's

  Meat Science, Food Science, Food Technology, Food Chemistry, or closely related fields.

  (degree must be conferred on or before agreed upon start date)

• A minimum of 5 years' experience in the processed meats industry as a meat processing technologist. 

• Certifications, Registrations, and/or Licenses:
  • Certified HACCP (ASQ)
  • Internal Auditor Trained
• Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge:
  • Experienced in Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Programs
  • Experienced in meat processing operational cross-functional teams in Retail, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, and Plant Management to solve manufacturing problems, make changes in existing products or bring new products to market.
  • Demonstrated ability from FFA/vocational agricultural leadership accomplishments to engage with new entry personnel into the workforce in meat processing facilities to align with them and mentor them for success in the processed meats industry

  Ability to:

  • Engage industry personnel from line manufacturing to management
  • Understand muscle chemistry and physiology and effectively apply that understanding to the art and technology of value-added processing of meat.
  • Understand USDA and FDA Codes of Federal Regulations, inspection regulations, regulatory agency inspection compliance, customer specifications, and apply them to everyday food manufacturing situations.
  • Understand issues and difficulties in processed meat manufacturing, quality manufacturing, and acceptable ingredients and labeling to successfully manufacture processed meat products.
  • Strong computer and word processing skills.
  • Strong competency to write competitive grants and project reports on processed meat manufacturing, processed meat quality, and final project reports.
  • Strong ability for oral expression, verbal defense of findings, and defense of actions.
  • The ability to be comfortable in a manufacturing environment and deal with immediate issues.

   

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's

  Meat Science, Food Science, Food Technology, Food Chemistry, or closely related fields.

• More than 5 years’ experience as a Processed Meats Technologist and 10 Years’ experience in technical leadership in the processed meats industry.

• Certifications, Registrations, and/or Licenses:
  • Certified HAACP (ASQ)
  • Internal Auditor Trained
  • ACF Certified Chef
  • Global Food Safety Initiatives Platforms (at least one the following: SQF, BRC, Primus)
• Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge:

  Ability to:

  • Engage industry personnel from line manufacturing to management
  • Understand muscle chemistry and physiology and effectively apply that understanding to the art and technology of value-added processing of meat.
  • Understand USDA and FDA Codes of Federal Regulations, inspection regulations, regulatory agency inspection compliance, customer specifications, and apply them to everyday food manufacturing situations.
  • Understand issues and difficulties in processed meat manufacturing, quality manufacturing, and acceptable ingredients and labeling to successfully manufacture processed meat products.
  • Strong computer and word processing skills.
  • Strong competency to write competitive grants and project reports on processed meat manufacturing, processed meat quality, and final project reports.
  • Strong ability for oral expression, verbal defense of findings, and defense of actions.
  • The ability to be comfortable in a manufacturing environment and deal with immediate issues.
  • Assist food industry clients with Operational SOPs.
  • Assist food industry clients with new expansion business plans.