The QA Technician is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance, food safety, product quality and customer specification adherence within a new beef processing facility. They conduct pre-operational sanitation inspections, monitor critical control points (CCPs), enforce plant-wide GMPs and employee safety. They must have the ability to communicate with leads and supervisors when product is out of specification, including stopping production when necessary and placing product on hold. They will also initiate root cause analysis for product deficiencies and participate in cross-functional teams to identify and implement corrective actions and further preventative measures.
This position reports directly to the Director of Food Safety and will also be responsible for:
- Accurately recording required daily paperwork as well as checking for accuracy, legibility and completeness
- Ongoing verification of critical control points (CCPs), including temperature monitoring, reading cabinet parameters and communicating when out of specification
- Calibration of measuring tools daily or as needed
- Monitoring label compliance including tare weights, legibility, and other regulatory requirements
- Monitoring in-process and finished product for food safety and customer requirement compliance
- Aseptic sampling of various components including equipment and finished product, as well as recording, understanding and interpreting results
- Hold and release product based on various aspects including test results or customer specifications
- Establishing and maintaining a good working relationship with regulatory in plant personnel
- Maintaining organizational methods for keeping paperwork neat, tidy and easily retrievable
- Understanding and enforcing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), plant GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) and employee safety for all employees
- Conduct regular audits for regulatory or in-plant compliance
- Any additional tasks assigned by Food Safety Director
Minimum Qualifications:
- High School Diploma or GED
- Must be fluent in English and able to communicate verbally and orally with others (bilingual a plus)
- HACCP certification preferred, but not required
- Highly detail oriented
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in a food production environment (QA preferred)
- BRCGS or SQF experience (or other auditing) a plus
- Ability to arrive on time and absences minimal
- Display a strong work ethic and positive attitude
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment
- Ability to instruct and lead effectively
- Ability to make quick and decisive decisions; good judgment and common sense required
- Ability to follow instruction
- Adaptable and dependable
- Ability to maintain a helpful and professional attitude and appearance
Physical Requirements:
- Standing, walking, bending, lifting, stooping, crouching, kneeling intermittently
- Ability to lift up to 50lbs.
- Ability to work in a hot or cold environment