QA Technician

F&S PRODUCE WEST LLC•Clackamas, OR

About The Position

The QA Technician is responsible for verifying and documenting requirements that ensure food safety. The role carries out daily quality activities, including assessing incoming materials and in-process production, checking quality and labeling, performing final inspections and finished-product testing, and monitoring food-safety-related sanitation. The technician helps ensure customer specifications are met and that the facility complies with applicable local, state, and federal food-safety and health regulations. The position works with operations and quality teams, maintains food-safety and quality records, supports audits and regulatory inquiries, and escalates difficult matters to the QA Supervisor or QA Manager as needed. The role involves inspections and testing in a chilled food manufacturing and refrigerated warehouse environment. Physical work includes standing, walking, bending, and kneeling throughout a 10-hour shift, and safely lifting, carrying, and moving items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience working in a chilled food manufacturing environment.
Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), USDA requirements, and food-safety procedures.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to analyze data using spreadsheets, formulas, and statistical tools.
Ability to work independently, multitask, and manage priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to exercise sound judgment, make appropriate decisions, and remain professional under pressure.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, and kneel for extended periods throughout a 10-hour shift.
Ability to safely lift, carry, and move items weighing up to 50 pounds.
Comfort working in a typical refrigerated warehouse environment.

Nice To Haves

College-level education or a related degree.
HACCP, Food Handler, or related food-safety certifications.
Experience with Produce Pro or similar software.

Responsibilities

Verify and document food-safety requirements and conduct daily quality activities for incoming materials, in-process production, finished products, labeling, inspections, testing, and sanitation.
Help ensure customer specifications and applicable local, state, and federal food-safety and health regulations are met.
Partner with operations management to support food-safety best practices and regulatory compliance.
Verify the daily production plan and immediate needs; conduct pre-operation and other inspections; reject materials or products when needed; and complete environmental swabbing and quality testing.
Maintain documentation supporting fresh-food specifications.
Conduct and facilitate internal and external quality audits, document findings and next steps, and track corrective actions.
Work with receivers to verify delivery-truck temperature and inspection documentation, receiving logs, FIFO practices, and allergen segregation.
Use the PPRO app for receiving inspections, setup, and report review.
Complete required USDA swabbing and shelf-life tests; calibrate scales and thermometers; and maintain thermometer calibration logs.
Collect samples, complete order sheets, and pack and ship samples to the lab as required.
Maintain and organize daily Food Safety and Quality Assurance records; monitor product-retain inventory; and spot-check department documentation for accuracy and compliance.
Monitor cleanliness and 5S standards.
Document downtime problems and corrective actions associated with QA holds or actions that interrupt production.
Perform quality checks and preventive critical control point monitoring, including temperature logs, sanitation, labeling, net weight, and package integrity checks.
Collaborate and make recommendations on food-safety and quality decisions concerning ingredients, raw product, in-process product, and finished-product conformance.
Research information to help management respond to government inquiries and support corrective and preventive actions and follow-up.
Review documents and verify plant recipes, specifications, and labeling.
Print traceability forms from the QMS and support internal and external food-quality and food-safety audits.
Track QA supplies such as swabs, test strips, and chemicals as needed.
Review market research and trends and collaborate on projects as needed.
Escalate difficult matters to the QA Supervisor or QA Manager as necessary.
Perform other duties as needed.