About the CFIA > Human Resources > Employment  

Career Profiles

Considering a career in food inspection? The following is a list of just some of the possible careers within the CFIA.

• Agricultural Officers
• Inspectors
• Biologists
• Laboratory Technicians
• Computer Systems
• Veterinarians

Our Agricultural Officers whether in the laboratory performing analyses or in the field meeting with producers and growers, it is their responsibility to ensure that regulatory standards are adhered to. Their work may involve technical negotiations and consultations with the private sector to establish legislative and regulatory standards and assess industry compliance; conducting and participating in negotiations with Canadian and foreign governments, and international standard-setting bodies; developing, maintaining and evaluating National programs and projects designed to prevent the introduction and spread of pests destructive to Canada. Conducting investigations, providing expert advice, meeting with Industry officials, interpreting regulations and program guidelines, may all be a part of their job duties.

The minimum educational and occupational certification requirements are graduation with a degree from a recognized university with acceptable specialization in agriculture or in a related science normally accepted for membership in a recognized society of agrologists.

Our Biologists may be involved in conducting technical negotiations and consultations with the private sector to establish legislative and regulatory standards and assess industry compliance; conducting and participating in negotiations with Canadian and foreign governments, and international standard-setting bodies; performing analyses, evaluations and conducting diagnostic tests; meeting with producers and growers; providing expert advice on scientific issues; participating in research projects and product evaluations to assess safety and efficacy; monitoring testing, inspection and enforcement programs; developing standards, protocols, audit, testing and quality control policies and procedures; analysing requirements for and recommending food emergency recalls; and much, much more.

The minimum education requirement is graduation with a degree from a recognized university with specialization in a biological science; or for multi-disciplinary positions, graduation with a degree from a recognized university in a natural, physical or applied science with specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position.

Our Computer Systems personnel provide information management and information technology support services to the Agency in support of its programs. Be it working in a central office or traveling throughout the province, some of the duties performed may include software installation, training of staff in the utilization of their computer systems, determining future technological needs of the organization, developing, maintaining and trouble-shooting computer systems, desktop support functions, programming and database management.

While the CFIA minimum standard for education is a secondary school diploma or approved alternatives, a post-secondary or university diploma in computer science, information technology or information management is often required.

Our Inspectors work at federally registered establishments/plants or inspection laboratories and provide product inspection and certification services in various areas of specialization such as fruit and vegetable, dairy, grain, meat, plant protection and fish. Performing inspection activities in an abattoir, analysing samples in a laboratory, doing live animal capture in the field to test for diseases, inspecting ships' holds for residue cargo or insects, examining farmers' crops, conducting port of entry assessments for imports and live animals, accrediting nurseries and greenhouses for export of plant products, and conducting assessments of quality assurance and quality management programs, are some of the duties performed by our inspectors.

The minimum education requirement is a post-secondary diploma with specialization in the technical sciences. In some circumstances, the CFIA will give a preference to applicants with a university degree.

Our Laboratory Technicians working in laboratories across the country, provide expertise and skills in chemistry, microbiology, toxicology, virology, genetics and a wide variety of state-of-the-art testing technologies in other biological sciences. These form an important part of CFIA's programs to ensure that Canadian foods, plants, and animals are healthy and safe. The testing services that laboratory technicians provide include: testing foods and animal feeds for the presence of environmental contaminants such as pesticides, or for bacteria that may cause food poisoning; testing blood serum samples collected from animals to certify that they are free from diseases, and therefore may be exported to other countries, or imported into Canada; testing environmental water samples for the presence of marine toxins; testing plant materials for the presence of exotic pests. Other laboratory technicians work on research projects to develop solutions for problems in food safety or animal or plant diseases, to develop better tests for them, or to develop means of preventing their occurrence. For technicians who work with disease-causing agents, protective clothing, and strict bio-safety protocols are part of their everyday working environment.

The minimum standard for education is a secondary school diploma or approved alternatives.

Our Veterinarians play a key role in food safety. They contribute to the healthy food and livestock industry in the areas of meat hygiene, animal health and within research and diagnostic laboratories. This is accomplished through frequent contact with the public and industry officials to help educate them to the potential hazards of importing products of animal origin, or through inspection of animals and meat products. Our Veterinarians form the first line of defence against the spread of many diseases. They may be found working in laboratories performing research or diagnostic testing, controlling the authorization of veterinary pharmaceuticals, working in the field dealing with contagious disease outbreaks, testing animals for import and export and working in plants performing antemortem and postmortem inspections. They are a crucial player in the maintenance of human health through the meat inspections and control of foodborne and contagious diseases.

To be employed as a Veterinarian in the Agency the minimum requirement is graduation from a recognized school of Veterinary Medicine, as well as eligibility for membership in a Canadian Veterinary Association. You may wish to contact the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, for a listing of educational institutions that offer this program in addition to more specific course requirement information.