QA Technician

Company Overview

Headquartered in Deltona, Florida, The Nutty Bavarian is a leading turn-key licensor of fresh roasted, cinnamon glazed nuts and Kettle Fresh Fudge, with products sold at approximately 1,000 locations across shopping malls, theme parks, airports, stadiums, zoos, convention centers, and specialty retailers throughout the United States and Canada. Founded in 1989 using a Bavarian nut-glazing recipe, the Company grew rapidly after new ownership took over in 1994 and developed a proprietary, fully automated nut-roasting system that produces a consistently higher-quality product at a fraction of the cost of imported equipment.

As a full-service, one-stop-shop for its partners, The Nutty Bavarian provides turnkey equipment, pre-portioned ingredients, packaging, and marketing/merchandising support; in 2011, the Company expanded this offering with the introduction of Kettle Fresh Fudge, adding a high-volume automated fudge program and new point-of-purchase materials that further diversified revenue opportunities, and in June 2026, The Nutty Bavarian became a subsidiary of Golden Waffles, joining its portfolio of turnkey specialty food and beverage programs serving the hospitality and foodservice industry—a combination that pairs The Nutty Bavarian's established network and proprietary equipment platform with Golden Waffles' national distribution footprint, manufacturing capabilities, and operational scale.

Job Summary

The QA Technician plays a hands-on, compliance-focused role at The Nutty Bavarian's Deltona, FL manufacturing facility, verifying that glazed nut and Kettle Fresh Fudge production meets the Company's food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements. Reporting to the Director, FSQA, this role performs the daily inspections, monitoring, and record verification that support the plant's HACCP plan, GMP program, allergen controls, and third-party certification readiness.

This position spends its time on the production floor and in the quality office, conducting GMP and pre-operational inspections, verifying sanitation and allergen changeovers, monitoring critical control points and prerequisite programs, and reviewing production and quality records for accuracy and completeness. Because documentation is the evidence of compliance, this role demands strong attention to detail, consistent follow-through, and the confidence to stop and escalate when something is out of specification.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

GMP & Food Safety Compliance Monitoring

• Conduct daily GMP, pre-operational, and in-process inspections of production lines, the kettle room, mill room, packaging areas, and warehouse, documenting findings and ensuring corrections are made.
• Monitor critical control points (CCPs), prerequisite programs, and food safety checks according to the HACCP plan and company SOPs, including cooking temperatures, foreign material controls, and calibration verification of scales and thermometers.
• Verify allergen controls, including line clearance and changeover checks between fudge and nut product runs and between tree nut and other allergen-containing products, to prevent cross-contact.
• Verify sanitation effectiveness through visual inspections and verification testing (e.g., ATP or allergen swabs, environmental monitoring) per the Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).
• Observe employee hygiene, glove/PPE, and good manufacturing practices on the floor, coaching employees in the moment and escalating repeated or serious concerns to the Director, FSQA.

Documentation & Record Review

• Review production, batch, sanitation, receiving, and shipping records daily for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with specifications and good documentation practices.
• Verify lot coding, date coding, and label accuracy (including allergen declarations) at packaging to support traceability and label compliance.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready quality records, logs, and files in accordance with record retention requirements.
• Verify incoming raw materials, ingredients, and packaging against specifications, including certificates of analysis and supplier documentation, and flag discrepancies.

Audit Readiness & Corrective Actions

• Support internal audits, third-party certification audits (e.g., SQF, BRC, GFSI-benchmarked schemes), customer audits, and regulatory inspections by preparing documentation, escorting auditors, and retrieving records.
• Document non-conformances, deviations, and customer complaints, and support root-cause investigations and corrective action/preventive action (CAPA) follow-up to timely closure.
• Initiate and manage product holds and releases per procedure, and support mock recalls and traceability exercises.
• Track audit findings and open corrective actions, reporting status to the Director, FSQA.

Product Quality Verification

• Perform routine product quality checks, including visual and sensory evaluation, net weight, and package seal and integrity checks against product specifications.
• Collect and label retain samples and quality samples as required, and record results accurately.
• Escalate out-of-specification product or process conditions to Production and the Director, FSQA immediately.

Training, Communication & Safety

• Assist the Director, FSQA with delivering GMP, allergen awareness, and food safety training to new and existing employees, and maintain training records.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with Production Supervisors, Leads, Warehouse, and Maintenance teams regarding compliance requirements and findings.
• Follow all plant safety protocols, wear required PPE, and report unsafe conditions or near-misses promptly.
• Participate in shift hand-offs, providing clear updates on open quality issues, holds, and outstanding corrective actions.

Position Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, or a related field preferred.
• 1-3 years of experience in quality assurance, food safety, or compliance in a food manufacturing environment preferred; entry-level candidates with relevant education or strong food safety training will be considered.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, and food safety fundamentals; HACCP certification preferred or willingness to obtain within the first six months of employment.
• Familiarity with FDA FSMA requirements, allergen control, and traceability/recall programs; PCQI certification or GFSI scheme (SQF/BRC) training a plus.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to review records and identify errors, omissions, and out-of-specification conditions.
• Ability to remain objective and hold the line on food safety and quality standards while working collaboratively with production teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document findings clearly and communicate with all levels of the organization.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook); experience with quality management system (QMS) software preferred.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, climb stairs, and lift up to 50 lbs. as needed to collect samples and perform inspections.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, including exposure to varying temperatures, noise, and food ingredients (including tree nuts).
• Willingness to work full-time hours, including occasional overtime and coverage of first or second shift, to support production schedules and audit needs.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

35% GMP & Food Safety Compliance Monitoring

• GMP, pre-operational, and in-process inspections.
• CCP/prerequisite monitoring, allergen changeover, and sanitation verification.

25% Documentation & Record Review

• Production, sanitation, and receiving record verification.
• Label, lot code, and traceability checks.

25% Audit Readiness & Corrective Actions

• Audit and inspection support and documentation.
• Non-conformance, CAPA, hold/release, and mock recall support.

15% Quality Verification, Training & Communication

• Product quality checks and sample collection.
• GMP training support and shift communication.