Quality Assurance Associate

KeHE Distributors, LLC•Portland, OR

23h•Onsite

About The Position

KeHE, a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor, is growing and looking for enthusiastic individuals to join their team. They foster a people-first culture and are committed to good living, good food, and good service. The Quality Assurance Associate plays a crucial role in supporting warehouse operations by ensuring order accuracy, pallet integrity, and food safety compliance before products reach the customer. This role involves inspecting various elements of the warehouse process, correcting errors, and contributing to root-cause analysis to minimize future mistakes. All actions are expected to align with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required
Minimum of one (1) year working with a Warehouse Management System (WMS)
Working knowledge of WMS systems, inventory accuracy validation, pallet construction standards, food safety requirements, and basic LEAN concepts
Proficient with MS Office and standard web-based tools
Strong attention to detail, disciplined execution, schedule accountability
Ability to communicate clearly while working independently with minimal supervision
Driven by pride in accuracy, protecting the customer experience, maintaining food safety, and resolving issues at the source rather than passing defects forward
Analytical problem-solving skills
Physical capability to safely restack pallets and operate PIT equipment
Adaptability to changing processes
Ability to support root-cause analysis through observation and documentation
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, climb as required, and work safely in a fast-paced warehouse environment.
Must be able to safely carry, lift, push, and/or move product weighing up to 50 pounds, including rebuilding and restacking pallets.
Ability to safely operate powered industrial trucks (PIT) and work in temperature-controlled environments ranging from -10°F to ambient, with exposure to varying indoor and outdoor conditions.

Nice To Haves

Additional training in quality, food safety, or warehouse operations is a plus.
Preferred experience in food distribution, quality assurance, inventory control, or clerking roles.

Responsibilities

Supports warehouse operations by validating order accuracy, pallet integrity, and food safety compliance before product reaches the customer.
Inspects trailers, locations, pallets, cases, and totes to ensure correct brands, varieties, counts, and proper pallet construction.
Works directly with leadership to correct issues and rebuild pallets as needed when errors are identified.
Protects the customer experience, maintains inventory integrity, and supports root-cause analysis to reduce future errors.
Validates outbound and inbound warehouse production by inspecting trailers, locations, pallets, cases, and split-case totes to ensure correct brand, variety, quantity, and overall order accuracy.
Performs quality control checks on pallet construction, identifying mispicks, misplaced cases, and structural issues that could impact product integrity or customer experience.
Corrects identified errors in real time by working directly with selectors to rebuild pallets and resolve discrepancies.
Ensures food safety and quality standards are met while documenting issues and supporting root-cause analysis to prevent repeat errors.