SQF Practitioner / Food Safety Specialist

Europastry USA•Ronkonkoma, NY

5d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Lead to support daily food safety and quality operations in our food manufacturing facility. This position will supervise and support the QA team, assist the Quality Assurance Manager and Director with regulatory and customer compliance, and serve as the facility's designated Backup SQF Practitioner. The successful candidate will have strong experience in food manufacturing, SQF, HACCP, GMPs, documentation, employee training, and quality systems.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of Quality Assurance experience in food manufacturing.
HACCP training or certification required or ability to complete required training.
Working knowledge of the applicable SQF Food Safety Code.
Proficient with Microsoft Office.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Ability to work flexible hours as required by production and food safety needs.

Nice To Haves

Previous supervisory or lead experience preferred.
Working knowledge of SQF, HACCP/HARPC, GMPs, allergen controls, sanitation, and food safety programs.
Experience participating in SQF, customer, regulatory, or third-party audits preferred.
Strong documentation, organizational, investigative, and communication skills.
Strong leadership and coaching skills
Attention to detail
Food safety knowledge
Problem-solving and root-cause analysis
Audit readiness
Effective communication
Strong record-keeping and documentation
Ability to work collaboratively with Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse, and Management

Responsibilities

Serve as the designated Backup SQF Practitioner and assume SQF Practitioner responsibilities when the primary practitioner is unavailable.
Support the development, implementation, verification, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's SQF Food Safety Management System.
Support preparation for SQF, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
Supervise and provide daily direction to QA Technicians / QA Inspectors.
Ensure QA coverage and completion of required inspections, testing, sampling, documentation, and verification activities.
Review production and QA records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance.
Verify CCP monitoring, including metal detector and X-ray records.
Review pre-operational inspections, GMP inspections, sanitation verification, allergen controls, label verification, and other food safety records.
Conduct and support internal audits, GMP inspections, Glass & Brittle Plastic audits, and corrective-action follow-up.
Assist with investigations, root-cause analysis, CAPA, customer complaints, product holds, and food safety incidents.
Support product disposition decisions and ensure nonconforming product is properly identified, controlled, and documented.
Manage and maintain OptiReg, the facility's digital QA record and verification system, including record review, completion, accuracy, and follow-up.
Lead and coordinate annual and ongoing employee training through Alchemy, including GMP, food safety, allergen, Food Defense, and other required programs.
Maintain training completion records and follow up on overdue or incomplete training.
Train QA and production employees on procedures, specifications, food safety requirements, and documentation expectations.
Support implementation of new SOPs, specifications, forms, programs, and process changes.
Coordinate environmental monitoring, laboratory testing, water testing, air testing, allergen verification, and other required testing programs.
Maintain and verify calibration programs for thermometers, scales, production equipment, and food safety devices.
Promote a strong Food Safety and Quality Culture throughout the facility.
Communicate food safety or quality concerns to Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Management.
Assist the Quality Assurance Manager with QA projects, reports, customer requests, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
Provide continuity of the SQF Food Safety Management System during the absence of the primary SQF Practitioner.
Have the authority to escalate food safety concerns and recommend or initiate product holds or production stoppages when necessary.
Review critical food safety records and corrective actions.
Support investigation and management of CCP deviations and significant food safety incidents.
Participate in SQF certification and surveillance audits.
Provide requested documentation and explain facility food safety programs and operational practices to auditors.
Ensure required verification, validation, review, and follow-up activities remain current.