QA Technician

Summary: The Quality Assurance Technician is responsible for raw materials and incoming goods approval, maintaining and enforcing plant adherence to GMP, SQF, Organic, Kosher and FDA standards, working cross functionally with plant personnel, shipping and receiving, purchasing, customer service and R&D.

Requirements

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Addresses and answers customer concerns and request for information
• Ensures that quality system requirements are maintained and reported
• Evaluates current procedures and practices for accomplishing department objective, Reports findings to director
• Develops and implements primary quality control systems and SOP’s consistent with GMP, SQF, HAACP, OSHA and other regulatory programs
• Review GMP Regulations with management and heads of departments
• Coordinates analysis of products in compliance with GMP regulations and SOP’s
• Identifies technical problems and develops solutions
• Completes appropriate documentation to support testing procedures
• Manages laboratory equipment maintenance schedules; ensures laboratory equipment is maintained in accordance with established schedules, GMP requirements and SOP’s
• Performs other related duties as assigned by director

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Morning Pre-op checks:

  • Check for COA’s arriving after hours at dock and in email.
  • Walk through plant to ensure proper SQF/GMP regulations are being enforced and followed.

• Incoming Ingredient Checks

  • Evaluate incoming ingredients organoleptically and maintain retain library.
  • Grade and photograph raw material samples and upload them to their items cards in NAV system.
  • Evaluate new and experimental ingredients and work with R&D and Purchasing to approve the samples.
  • Reject nonconforming raw materials and record the information on internal Defective Material log. Work cross functionally to ensure hold status of material is communicated to proper departments.
  • Update & maintain the Ingredient Reference Samples.
  • Take micro samples in accordance with micro sampling schedule.
  • Maintain the Ingredient Information Database.
  • Verifying all COA’s. Contact vendors if COA’s are missing and obtain the COA’s.
  • Confirm that incoming organic ingredients are properly labeled and stored.

• Inventory Control

  • Work with inventory and plant personnel to identify expired or infested products.
  • Check the shelf life of both dry and wet ingredients.
  • Check inventory for misplaced items, especially misplaced allergens or organic items and inform upper management.

• Kosher

  • Review schedule A and OU portal system to update the kosher certifications.
  • Submit kosher approvals for new or missing raw materials.

• Administrative

  • Working with procurement and our vendors, maintain the SQF documentation database to ensure all vendor documentation is collected.
  • Maintain organic program by collecting organic documentation from suppliers, taking organic product samples, supervising organic production and sanitation and notifying upper management on any deviations or issues.
  • Assist with customer questions and documentation requests.

• Quality Laboratory Backup

  • Perform Sr. Laboratory Technicians functions during vacations and sick days.
  • Test finished products and maintain reference library.

Alternate: The Quality Assurance Manager is to perform or delegate the above functions when the person is absent. Minimum Requirements:

• Computer skills including Microsoft office.
• Bachelors Degree in Food Science or equivalent science degree.
• Minimum of 2 to 5 years experience in the food industry. SQF experience is a plus. Communication skills

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to taste and smell chemicals, flavors and food products.
• Must be able to stand/walk for long periods of time in a laboratory setting.
• Must be able to lift 50 bags of products.

Working Environment: Laboratory environment with exposure to a variety of food GRAS chemicals, flavors and food products. Reports to: Quality Assurance Manager Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work in a controlled laboratory environment
• Ability to taste and smell flavor profiles and food products
• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Frequently required to stand/walk
• Frequently required to bend, stoop, kneel and reach
• Frequently required to lift/push/carry items up to 25 pounds.
• Occasionally required to lift/push/carry up to 60 pounds.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.