QA Technician

Job Summary

The Quality Assurance (QA) Technician is responsible for monitoring, verifying, and documenting food safety, product quality, sanitation, and regulatory compliance within a high-volume kitchen commissary environment.

The ideal candidate must have hands-on experience working in a USDA-inspected food processing facility or USDA-regulated plant, with a clear understanding of USDA requirements, pre-operational (pre-op) inspections, sanitation verification, and regulatory documentation.

This role requires practical experience performing pre-op inspections, identifying and documenting deficiencies, verifying corrective actions, and working directly with a USDA inspector during pre-operational inspections. The QA Technician will work closely with Production, Sanitation, and Maintenance to ensure the facility, equipment, and production areas meet applicable food safety and regulatory requirements before operations begin.

Key Responsibilities1. USDA Compliance and Pre-Operational Inspections

• Perform and document daily pre-operational inspections of production rooms, processing equipment, utensils, food-contact surfaces, and surrounding areas before production begins.
• Demonstrate hands-on experience conducting pre-operational inspections in a USDA-inspected facility, including working directly with USDA inspectors during pre-op inspections.
• Understand USDA inspection expectations and applicable sanitation and food safety requirements for a regulated food processing facility.
• Verify that equipment and food-contact surfaces are clean, properly sanitized, assembled correctly, and ready for production.
• Identify and document pre-op deficiencies, communicate findings to the appropriate departments, and verify corrective actions before production starts.
• Maintain accurate pre-op records, inspection checklists, sanitation verification logs, and corrective action documentation.
• Communicate professionally with USDA inspectors and internal leadership regarding inspection findings, deficiencies, and corrective actions.
• Escalate unresolved food safety or sanitation issues and ensure affected areas or equipment are not released for production until applicable requirements are met.

2. Food Safety, Sanitation, and GMPs

• Monitor and enforce Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation procedures, employee hygiene, and food handling practices.
• Verify sanitation effectiveness and compliance with established cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
• Conduct routine inspections of production areas, storage areas, refrigeration units, and equipment.
• Monitor temperature controls, allergen handling, pest control, and prevention of cross-contamination.
• Work with Sanitation and Maintenance to resolve deficiencies that could affect food safety or regulatory compliance.

3. Production and Traceability Documentation

• Verify and document ingredients, lot numbers, expiration dates, production dates, and quantities using work orders and applicable production records.
• Review completed work orders and ensure records are accurate, complete, and submitted for proper filing.
• Verify ingredient issuance, product handling, and production processes against approved specifications.
• Maintain accurate and timely QA records, forms, logs, and supporting documentation.
• Support product traceability exercises, mock recalls, and investigations involving ingredient or finished-product identification.

4. In-Process and Finished Product Quality

• Conduct in-process and finished-product inspections to verify weights, labeling, packaging, appearance, and compliance with product specifications.
• Verify that labels and packaging are correct for the product being manufactured.
• Identify product defects, process deviations, and non-conformances and communicate findings to the appropriate personnel.
• Assist with root-cause investigations, corrective and preventive actions, and verification of their effectiveness.
• Support product hold, segregation, and disposition procedures when food safety or quality concerns arise.

5. Training and Cross-Functional Support

• Support food safety, sanitation, allergen control, and quality training for new and existing employees.
• Work closely with Production Leads, Sanitation, and Maintenance to ensure compliance with established procedures.
• Verify that production employees follow approved processes, ingredient requirements, and handling procedures.
• Assist with internal audits, regulatory inspections, and preparation of documentation requested by management or regulatory personnel.
• Support production operations with additional duties as needed while maintaining food safety and quality standards.

RequirementsEducation

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Additional coursework or certifications in food safety, HACCP, sanitation, or quality assurance preferred.

Experience — Required

• Minimum 1–2 years of QA/QC or food safety experience in a USDA-inspected food manufacturing or processing facility.
• Hands-on experience performing pre-operational (pre-op) inspections in a USDA-inspected plant.
• Experience working directly with a USDA inspector during pre-op inspections, including understanding inspection expectations, addressing findings, and documenting corrective actions.
• Clear working knowledge of pre-op inspection procedures, sanitation verification, inspection documentation, and equipment and facility release requirements.
• Experience maintaining accurate food safety and regulatory records, including pre-op checklists, sanitation logs, lot tracking, and corrective action documentation.
• Familiarity with GMPs, sanitation requirements, allergen controls, temperature monitoring, and product traceability.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong understanding of USDA plant inspection processes and sanitation compliance expectations.
• Ability to independently conduct thorough pre-op inspections and accurately document findings.
• Ability to identify sanitation deficiencies, communicate issues clearly, and verify that corrective actions are completed before production begins.
• Strong attention to detail and recordkeeping accuracy.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, and QA leadership.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and under pressure.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Excel, Word, and electronic QA or production tracking systems.
• Ability to interpret product specifications, work orders, lot codes, and food safety documentation.
• Ability to communicate professionally with regulatory inspectors and respond appropriately to inspection findings.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to bend, lift, and carry up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to work in refrigerated, cold-storage, and warm kitchen environments.
• Ability to inspect equipment, food-contact surfaces, and production areas closely.
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow facility safety requirements.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to work flexible hours, including early mornings, weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime, based on production and inspection schedules.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish highly desirable but not required.
• Must be dependable, organized, and comfortable working in a regulated food production environment where documentation and accountability are essential.

Key Success Measures

• Pre-op inspections are completed accurately and on time before production begins.
• Sanitation deficiencies are documented, communicated, corrected, and verified.
• USDA inspection findings are addressed promptly and supported by complete documentation.
• QA records, traceability documentation, and production checks are accurate and audit-ready.
• Food safety, sanitation, and product quality procedures are consistently followed across production areas.

Job Types: Full-time, Temp-to-hire

Pay: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Experience:

• Manufacturing: 3 years (Preferred)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)
• Night Shift (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• City of Industry, CA 91748 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• City of Industry, CA 91748: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person