Cookie Quality Assurance Specialist

Joy Baking Group•Hermitage, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Quality Assurance Specialist supports Joy Baking Group commitment to safe, high-quality products by monitoring processes, reviewing quality data, and ensuring compliance with internal and external requirements. This role helps maintain quality programs, analyze trends, support audits and investigations, and work closely with operations and other departments to drive continuous improvement. The position also assists with training, documentation, and traceability activities while providing backup support to the quality team as needed.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required (additional coursework or certifications in food safety or quality assurance is a plus)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong skills in Excel for data analysis, reporting, and documentation management
Commitment to gain a thorough understanding of company policies and procedures and supporting their application
Able to read, understand, and strictly follow written procedures for multiple controlled processes
Able to organize and coordinate multiple tasks and work under time constraints to meet deadlines
Involves collection, organization, processing, verifying and filing of required paperwork
Accuracy, attention to detail, and excellent organizational skills a must
Must be highly motivated, able to follow direction, and perform assigned work duties independently with minimal supervision
Must be able to speak, listen, and effectively communicate with team members both verbally and in writing
Must be able to work collaboratively with multiple departments and plant leadership
Strong organizational skills and ability to analyze and interpret technical information, mathematical concepts, and form conclusions
Lift up to 50 lbs and push or pull with up to 50 lbs. of force
Stoop, kneel, climb or squat on an occasional basis
Use hands to grip, pinch, handle, reach, or feel on a frequent basis
Able to stand, walk, and sit for duration of shift
Able to work Full time, approximately 45-50 hours/week, primarily day turn hours
Involves extensive keyboard operation and regular use of office equipment

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with HACCP principles, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), SQF standards, and FSMA compliance requirements preferred
Previous experience in Quality Assurance or a food safety-related role is preferred, particularly in managing environmental monitoring programs and reviewing Certificates of Analysis (COAs)
Experience in a production environment with an understanding of operational processes and product quality expectations

Responsibilities

Review and analyze Statistical Process Control (SPC) data to verify compliance with customer specifications; prepare Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for outgoing products and escalate nonconformances to management
Receive, review, and verify COAs for all incoming materials, ingredients, and processing aids
Maintain and execute the environmental monitoring program, including routine sampling, escalation testing, and documentation
Review, document, and trend daily microbiological test results to ensure compliance with established product and environmental specifications
Assist Quality Manager, Assistant Quality Manager, and Sanitation Supervisor with environmental result reviews, risk assessments, and data analysis evaluations
Coordinate quarterly AOAC laboratory proficiency testing, review results with the Quality management team, and provide retraining as warranted
Maintain inventory of chemical and microbiological testing supplies for the laboratory
Collaborate with Operations to support the consistent delivery of safe, high-quality food products
Support Research & Development initiatives by assisting with testing protocols, analyzing microbial trends, supporting validation studies, and evaluating finished product quality through trend analysis and investigative physical assessments
Provide training and guidance to employees on quality assurance and food safety requirements
Assist with product traceability activities, including mock recalls and investigations
Participate in internal, customer, and regulatory audits as assigned, including preparation and documentation support
Conduct and support root cause investigations for quality and food safety nonconformances and develop, implement, and verify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions using data analysis, trending, and documented follow-up
Serve as a backup for the Quality Assistant and assist with backup of the Assistant Quality Manager as needed
Serve as a backup to Quality Technician functions, as required, in the event of staffing gaps or absences
Perform additional tasks assigned by the Quality management team