Department of Civil Service

Description:

The Division of Food Safety and Inspection has an internship opportunity for the summer of 2023.

The position will assist in identifying opportunities to improve the understanding of food safety concerns by managers of food businesses at the conclusion of routine inspections, and assist in devising educational opportunities to improve understanding and compliance with New York State regulations.

Specifically, the student intern will:
- Shadow a Food Inspector several days a week to gain exposure and an understanding of the work conducted during a food safety inspection.
- Develop a survey document to be administered to the establishment manager once the inspection has been completed as a mechanism to better understand the experience and gain understanding of the issues discussed during a food inspection.
- Obtain feedback from establishment managers on the inspection process, such as:
- Did you understand the identified general or critical deficiencies as explained by the inspector?
- Do you understand why they are important to correct?
- Do you know how to correct the deficiencies?
- Using survey results, assist with identifying educational gaps and design outreach materials that can be provided and any operational changes that may be necessary.

Additionally, the intern would work on identifying outreach opportunities to colleges and other avenues to communicate the benefits of working in this public health sector. The intern can share insight as to how to reach their peers and gain interest in the field of food safety and inspection as a public health career.

The compensation will be through a stipend paid by the Association of Food and Drug Officials in the amount of $5,000. As an additional benefit, the intern will attend the national Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) national conference (June 11-14) in Norfolk, Virginia (all expenses paid).

The position will be in-person and based out of the Albany office, conveniently located near the Albany International Airport at 10B Airline Drive, Albany NY 12235. The intern will work approximately 30 hours per week, from June 1 through August 15th.

Skills:

Experience with Microsoft Office Suite

Interpersonal and communication skills

Analytical and evaluative skills

Organizational skills

Detail Oriented

Internship Areas: Agriculture, Health/Nutritional Services, Investigations, Policy Enforcement