Quality Assurance Inspector (Processing)

Ocean Mist Farms•Castroville, CA

32d•$21 - $23•Hybrid

About The Position

The Quality Assurance Inspector is responsible for monitoring and evaluating product quality to ensure compliance with Ocean Mist Farms' quality standards, customer specifications, food safety requirements, and operational procedures. This role requires collaboration with Operations, Sales, Food Safety, and Production teams to ensure consistent product quality and continuous improvement throughout the supply chain. The position is based in Castroville, California, and requires travel to remote growing regions. Depending on the assigned area and seasonal business needs, temporary relocation may also be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required
Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English
Basic math, measurement, computer, and analytical skills necessary to evaluate products and accurately complete reports
Valid California Class C driver’s license and ability to meet Company driving-insurability requirements
Ability to operate a Company vehicle, as assigned
Ability to work a rotating schedule of approximately five weeks in Field operations and one week in Facility/Cooler operations, with flexibility based on business needs
Ability to work either the day or night shift, based on assignment and operational needs. Shift schedules may change, including scheduling the night shift during daytime hours, and employees may be required to cover another shift due to staffing or production needs.
Ability to travel and temporarily relocate to remote or seasonal operating locations, including Oxnard, Coachella, Yuma, and other assigned regions
Strong attention to detail and the ability to make consistent, objective quality assessments
Effective interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and operating areas
Ability to work independently, follow detailed procedures, prioritize assignments, and communicate concerns appropriately
Ability to quickly learn and accurately apply new processes, procedures, and inspection requirements

Nice To Haves

Additional training in quality assurance, food safety, agriculture, production, or a related area preferred
One to three years of experience in quality assurance, produce inspection, agriculture, food processing, or a related field preferred
Bilingual English/Spanish skills preferred

Responsibilities

Perform timely and accurate quality inspections on all commodities, lots, processes, and equipment, including externally sourced products from California, Arizona, and Mexico
Evaluate product quality based on Ocean Mist Farms’ standards and customer specifications, including weight, color, condition, appearance, packing, and temperature
Identify and promptly communicate quality concerns, discrepancies, and deviations from established specifications
Accurately complete and maintain inspection reports, logs, and electronic records
Collaborate with Operations, Sales, Food Safety, Production, growers, and harvesting teams to investigate and resolve quality concerns
Support corrective actions and verify that identified issues have been appropriately addressed
Identify quality trends and opportunities for continuous improvement
Follow all applicable food safety, sanitation, safety, and operational procedures
Conduct pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest product evaluations
Monitor crop maturity, sizing, defects, appearance, environmental conditions, and harvest readiness
Perform daily field inspections and collect quality-related samples and data
Evaluate harvesting practices for compliance with established quality and product-handling standards
Partner with growers and harvesting personnel to address quality concerns
Support field food safety programs, grower evaluations, field audits, shelf-life studies, and special projects
Recommend harvest timing, handling procedures, cooling, icing, packaging, carton selection, palletizing, and product disposition
Participate in a rotating schedule consisting of approximately five weeks in Field operations and one week in Facility/Cooler operations, subject to business needs
Monitor production processes for compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), food safety requirements, and product specifications
Perform production-line verifications, including temperature, weight, packaging, labeling, and other process-control measurements
Inspect machinery, processing lines, and work areas for cleanliness, hygiene, and operational readiness
Monitor allergen controls to ensure allergen-containing products are properly separated from non-allergen production runs
Use precision measuring instruments and testing equipment to perform required verifications
Verify calibration status and perform routine care or maintenance of testing equipment, as assigned
Reinforce Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation procedures, and food safety requirements on the production floor
Place non-conforming products on hold or quarantine in accordance with established procedures
Assist with root-cause investigations, product disposition, corrective actions, and follow-up verification
Communicate findings to Production employees, supervisors, and managers so processes can be adjusted and corrective actions implemented
Inspect incoming commodities and specific product lots intended for fresh-market or value-added operations, including externally sourced products from California, Arizona, and Mexico
Evaluate incoming and stored products for quality, condition, temperature, packing, and compliance with established specifications
Prepare and maintain receiving, raw-product, daily, and aging inspection reports
Provide recommendations regarding cooling, packaging, carton selection, palletizing, storage, and product disposition
Partner with Facility/Cooler Operations, Production, Shipping, and Sales to address incoming-product and shipment-quality concerns
Assist with the preparation and coordination of products for exhibitions, fairs, conventions, customer requests, and other special projects
Perform other related duties as assigned