QA Technician

About the position

Support new product development through testing, documentation, and ensuring recipe/product specification compliance. Contribute to the creation and maintenance of programs aimed at preventing food safety issues and achieving quality goals. Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, food safety standards, and HACCP program mandates, including training. Maintain company-wide quality procedures and the product specification system. Assist management in handling customer complaints and product recalls. Oversee weekly testing of plant products and environmental assessments. Review and report on plant quality performance. Develop and implement safety programs to minimize employee exposure risks. Serve as the safety committee coordinator. Organize safety training, including new employee orientation, annual hearing tests, on-the-job training, checklist development, and monthly training sessions and employee meetings. Investigate accidents, conduct round table discussions, and perform job safety analyses. Facilitate training in quality, food safety, and food manager certification efficiently and promptly. Ensure all key management personnel, supervisors, and lead staff are up-to-date with food safety training requirements and attend necessary training sessions.

Responsibilities

• Assist with USDA/FDA requirements, paperwork, and floor walkthroughs.
• Conduct pre-operational inspections and in-process checks.
• Review paperwork and ensure GMP compliance.
• Support new product development through testing, documentation, and ensuring recipe/product specification compliance.
• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of programs aimed at preventing food safety issues and achieving quality goals.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, food safety standards, and HACCP program mandates, including training.
• Maintain company-wide quality procedures and the product specification system.
• Assist management in handling customer complaints and product recalls.
• Oversee weekly testing of plant products and environmental assessments.
• Review and report on plant quality performance.
• Develop and implement safety programs to minimize employee exposure risks.
• Serve as the safety committee coordinator.
• Organize safety training, including new employee orientation, annual hearing tests, on-the-job training, checklist development, and monthly training sessions and employee meetings.
• Investigate accidents, conduct round table discussions, and perform job safety analyses.
• Facilitate training in quality, food safety, and food manager certification efficiently and promptly.
• Ensure all key management personnel, supervisors, and lead staff are up-to-date with food safety training requirements and attend necessary training sessions.

Requirements

• High School Diploma (required); Associate or Bachelor's degree in Science, Microbiology, Biology, Food Science, or a related field (preferred).
• Previous experience in a food manufacturing facility is essential. Preferably in a USDA facility.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is highly desirable.

Nice-to-haves

• Quality assurance
• Quality control
• HACCP
• FDA
• USDA
• Inspection
• Food safety
• Attention to detail
• Critical thinking
• Strong communication skills
• Service-oriented individual with a high-energy, positive, and friendly demeanor
• Ability to adapt to continually changing priorities and coordinate multiple projects
• Proficiency in computer skills (Outlook, Excel, Word)
• Strong customer service, interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Understanding of quality principles, research and development functions, analytical and bacterial principles, sampling concepts, and testing
• Project management and decision-making skills
• Strong math skills
• Ability to maintain compliance with USDA, FDA, HACCP, OSHA, SQF, and all other regulatory agencies while adhering to good manufacturing practices
• Proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehending English

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)