Qa Associate Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

PRIMARY PURPOSE AND FUNCTION:

In accordance with the established mission, policies, and procedures of 1800Flowers and/or specific instructions from Quality Assurance leadership, the Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal food safety regulations. This role leads the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Food Safety and Quality Management Systems (FSMS/QMS), including certification oversight, and provides leadership to Quality staff to ensure product safety, legality, and quality at all times.

Coverage

In the absence of the Quality Assurance Manager, all Food Safety and Quality responsibilities will fall upon the Director of QA Operations. The Director of QA Operations may delegate responsibilities to qualified personnel to ensure the continued operation and integrity of the Food Safety Management Systems.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Follow & enforce all internal Quality and Food Safety requirements. Assure at all times that the facility is in compliance with Federal, State, and GMP standards throughout the company.
• Act as primary SQF Practitioner, PCQI and assume the daily operation of the facility's SQF system.
• Develop, implement, maintain, verify and validate the Food Safety Management System and prerequisite programs to ensure compliance with SQF, HACCP, FSMA, GMPs and internal enterprise standards.
• Lead and support scheduled and unannounced regulatory inspections and third-party audits (FDA, SQF, customer, etc.)
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are implemented, documented and verified.
• Maintain continuous audit readiness and certification status.
• Hire, train, supervise and evaluate quality staff.
• Ensure required training and competency requirements are met and documented.
• Promote and lead a strong food safety culture within the facility.
• Oversee incoming inspections, in-process monitoring, product testing and finished product release.
• Manage product holds, investigations and disposition of non-conforming materials.
• Participate in traceability, recall readiness and mock recall exercises.
• Analyze audit results, complaints, testing data and KPIs to identify trends and risks.
• Communicate food safety and quality risks to leadership and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain effective working relationships with Operations, Maintenance, Sanitation, Regulatory and Supply chain teams.
• Participate in leadership and production meetings and provide routine communication on food safety and quality status.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by management.

Qualifications

• BS in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry or 3 to 5 years of experience in Quality field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in food manufacturing or quality assurance.
• Prior supervisory or management experience required
• Demonstrated working knowledge of SQF, HACCP, FSMA and GFSI based food safety systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and Power

Scheduling Requirements

• Minimum 40-hour work week; Monday-Friday or as arranged with the QA Director.
• Additional hours including weekends may be required during peak seasons.

Job Specifications

• Complexity: Attention to detail and the ability to communicate effectively with all levels are critical to this position.
• Working Conditions: Most of the time will be spent in a production environment working with production machinery and various types of production equipment. Some of the time will be spent in an office environment working with various types of office equipment.
• Physical Demands: While performing duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to stand for long periods of time, use hands to finger, handle control, and to talk or hear. The associate is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The associate is frequently required to bend and twist. The associate may be required to lift up to 30 on a consistent basis and up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Safety/Hazards: This position requires the ability to understand and follow policy and procedures of safety rules and regulations.

The expected salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, internal equity, and other factors permitted by law.

To support our commitment to being an employer of choice, we offer comprehensive and competitive health, wellness, and additional benefits to eligible full-time team members. Benefit eligibility may vary based on location, average hours worked, and length of service.

Benefits may include*:

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance for the associate and eligible dependents
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401(k) retirement savings program
• Mental health resources and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid vacation time (accrued based on hours worked and tenure)
• Paid company holidays
• Employee discount across our family of brands
• Potential eligibility for annual merit-based compensation increases, where applicable

*Exact benefit terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements are governed by official plan documents and applicable law. The Company reserves the right to modify, amend, or terminate benefit plans and programs at any time.