Food Safety Specialist

Ocean Mist Farms•Castroville, CA

7h•$26 - $32•Hybrid

About The Position

The Food Safety Specialist assists and works under the direction of the Food Safety Manager. This position is responsible for supporting training, record keeping and on-going implementation of the food safety program in all regions of operations in California including the Salinas Valley, Huron, Santa Maria, Oxnard, Coachella Valley, Imperial Valley, Yuma, AZ. Travel to locations outside the Salinas area is required on an as-needed basis, typically for up to one week at a time.

Requirements

Experience in food science or biological/physical sciences is required
PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification is required
Knowledge of GMP’s, GAP, HACCP, LGMA and USDA/FDA guidelines as related to our operations
Good math, written and verbal communication skills is required
Working knowledge of computers & software as utilized in the Food Safety environment: Windows operating system, Word, Excel
Candidates must be well organized and comfortable working independently
Valid California Driver’s License, Class C, be insurable and ability to operate a company vehicle is required
Ability to travel and work in the field/office environments as needed
High school diploma

Nice To Haves

Minimum 2-3 years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance in the produce or food manufacturing industry preferred
PSR (Produce Safety Training) preferred
Familiarity with product trace-back/recall policies and procedures are preferred
Bilingual English-Spanish preferred, not required

Responsibilities

Help support the goals and objectives of Ocean Mist Farms’ food safety program
Implement policies and programs that provide guidance and education on food safety and food defense
Conduct prepared food safety training sessions as needed
Enforce policies related to food safety and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) through auditing
Adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) as minimum standards for facilities
Adhere to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Leafy Greens standards (LGMA) as minimum standards for agricultural fields
Conduct monthly and weekly GMP inspections
Conduct risk assessments for ranches and harvest crews
Coordinate and oversee GMP and GAP third-party audits
Prepare growers and facility for food safety and organic inspections
Conduct mock recalls
Performs the PCQI review and sign-off process
Address customer/consumer inquiries and handle food safety related complaints
Investigate company incident reports
Assist in troubleshooting food safety problems and implementing improvements
Coordinate and collect environmental swabs for harvest machines, and the Cold Rooms. Value Added processing as needed
Accurately document the chain of custody sampling forms
Communicate results to the appropriate team member or grower in a timely manner
Help evaluate new testing equipment
Verify the proper function, calibration, and accuracy of food safety monitoring equipment such as thermometers, PH meters, metal detectors, and ATP luminometer