Burke - FSQ Relief Technician

Hormel Foods Family of Companies•Nevada, IA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The FSQ Relief Technician supports Burke’s Quality and Food Safety programs, with a primary third-shift focus on sanitation verification, pre-operational inspections, environmental monitoring, and ensuring equipment and production areas meet food safety requirements before production begins. The technician works closely with Sanitation while maintaining independent FSQ verification responsibilities, including identifying deficiencies, communicating findings, verifying corrective actions, and documenting results. The role also provides backup support for FSQ Lead Technicians, FSQ Technicians, and the FSQ Clerk as needed, and reviews documentation for programs such as Product Holds, Formulation and Label Verification, Foreign Material Prevention, SOPs, SSOPs, and HACCP. The technician must use sound judgment when interpreting program requirements and deciding how to respond when food safety or quality requirements are not met. The position works a listed shift of 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.; availability for flexible second- and third-shift hours and occasional alternate shifts is required. Work is approximately 20% at a desk and 80% in the plant, depending on coverage needs and production issues. Plant conditions can range from -10°F in freezers to over 100°F in oven rooms, with exposure to high noise, CO2, humidity, electrical and mechanical hazards, and wet or greasy floors that may have frost or ice. The position requires fall-protection training and operation of a scissors lift to collect samples from elevated areas. All team members must follow Burke’s Plant Safety Rules.

Requirements

Demonstrated pattern of dependability.
Strong computer skills, including experience with Excel and Word; testing may be required.
Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage time and work independently.
Ability to safely operate a scissors lift and complete required fall-protection and equipment-operation training.
Availability for flexible hours.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
At least six months of work history.
Must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer and must not now or in the future require employer sponsorship for a work visa.
Must be 18 years of age or older.

Nice To Haves

One to three years of experience in the meat or food industry is desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

Perform and document pre-operational inspections of production areas, equipment, and applicable food-contact surfaces to verify sanitary conditions before production.
Work with Sanitation during third shift to identify, communicate, and document sanitation deficiencies requiring corrective action.
Conduct follow-up inspections and verify corrective actions when sanitation conditions are unacceptable.
Communicate unresolved or significant food safety and sanitation concerns to appropriate FSQ, Sanitation, and Production leadership.
Coordinate the Environmental Pathogen Monitoring program, including sampling food-contact and non-food-contact sites and verifying or following up on corrective actions.
Monitor compliance with applicable SSOPs, sanitation procedures, GMPs, and food safety requirements during sanitation activities and production.
Maintain accurate records for pre-operational inspections, sanitation verification, environmental monitoring, corrective actions, and other assigned FSQ programs.
Monitor and verify product thermal processes as required.
Assist with decisions during food safety or quality events, including thermal process deviations, foreign material incidents, labeling concerns, and formulation errors.
Maintain working knowledge of product traceability in the electronic A/S400 inventory system.
Place appropriate product on non-ship hold when required and complete follow-up and verification activities needed to remove product from hold.
Communicate food safety, sanitation, hold, and other FSQ concerns clearly in writing and verbally to applicable hourly and salaried team members.
Provide support for other Food Safety and Quality activities as required.
Monitor food quality attributes during production runs as assigned.
Review and verify quality records for accuracy and compliance.
Support Process Quality Control programs by auditing process control checks, including product temperatures, piece size, and other established quality attributes.
Monitor documentation for label verification and product formulation programs.
Identify and communicate deviations from established quality requirements and assist with appropriate follow-up.
Perform or assist with daily GMP audits in production and sanitation-related areas and communicate deficiencies to appropriate team members.
Provide coaching or clarification on food safety, sanitation, and GMP expectations when appropriate.
Perform in-process and final reviews of food safety and quality program documentation, maintaining close attention to detail.
Perform assigned portions of routine internal process and facility audits and document findings.
Communicate significant pre-operational, sanitation, food safety, and quality concerns to leadership to support the transition from Sanitation to Production.
Support communication among FSQ, Sanitation, Production, and other departments when corrective action or follow-up is required.
Help maintain, coordinate, and continuously improve the Process and Quality Control Program.
Work with USDA, outside consultants, and auditors as needed.
Protect company rights in and ownership of confidential information and trade secrets encountered or developed in the role.
Perform other duties as assigned and contribute to workplace harmony.