QC Grower

Coke Farm • San Juan Bautista, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The QC Grower Technician ensures that daily delivered products meet company quality standards and communicates quality issues and concerns to growers and the sales department. The role inspects and reports on product inventory in the warehouse cooler while following food safety standards. It works with the Grower Liaison team and Sales to establish produce quality standards based on market needs, assists with internal audits, and works with the Grower Supply Assistant Manager to advance quality processes.

The position includes inspecting incoming products, reviewing product and cooler temperatures, documenting and reporting quality concerns, monitoring inventory and shelf life, and helping investigate inventory discrepancies. The employee may use warehouse equipment to move products and must follow company safety and food safety procedures.

Requirements

• Self-starter and strategic, independent thinker with good business acumen.
• Excellent time-management skills and ability to meet work-schedule deadlines.
• Adaptable and flexible, with the ability to respond quickly to changing requirements while communicating effectively with all parties.
• Strong planning and organizational skills with close attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong, well-organized written and verbal communication skills.
• Personable and comfortable following up with growers about quality issues.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to work in a refrigerated environment at 36–40 degrees and in outside weather conditions.
• Ability to maintain a safe working environment by following safety practices and food safety procedures.

Nice To Haves

• Produce, grocery, or food industry experience.
• Bilingual Spanish/English.

Responsibilities

• Notify the appropriate manager, supervisor, or key personnel if any compromise to food safety or product quality is observed.
• Meet with the sales team at the start of each shift to review products, expectations, and market needs.
• Meet growers as products are delivered and inspect all incoming products.
• Provide timely quality feedback to growers in person, by phone, email, or group text as needed.
• Inspect inbound truck commodities during the winter season and all buy/sell goods; assess product temperatures and shipping methods.
• Photograph delivered products to document quality and upload pictures to the department's shared drive.
• Document product quality in the internal reporting log and submit a daily end-of-day QA/QC report to the appropriate departments.
• Walk through the cooler at the beginning of the shift to assess product storage and review previously held products.
• Identify products that do not meet quality standards, label or tag them, and follow the food safety reporting process.
• Review cooler and product temperatures daily to verify they meet safe food storage standards.
• Ensure applicable products are hydrocooled or pressure-cooled as needed.
• Report product aging to Sales daily, weekly, or as applicable, and conduct shelf-life reports twice a week.
• Use warehouse equipment, including a utility cart, to move and place products in appropriate slots as needed.
• Safely operate equipment and follow company procedures, including SOPs and SSOPs.
• Monitor the inventory dashboard daily, including on-hold and sold items and shelf-life products, and reconcile dashboard information with physical cooler inventory.
• Understand commodity defects and quality issues, harvest schedules, inventory, and grower information.
• Work with other departments to investigate inventory discrepancies, make corrections, and follow through to completion.
• Assist with internal audits and quality-process improvements with the Grower Supply Assistant Manager.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage beginning the first of the month following hire.
• ESOP (profit sharing) and 401(k).
• Paid vacations and paid holidays.
• Coverage under State Sick Leave.
• 100% prepaid college tuition for employees and their dependents.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).
• Hourly pay of $20.00–$22.00 or more.
• Potential performance-based raise after 90 days.
• Yearly review with the possibility of an increase based on performance and tenure.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed