Quality Assurance Lab Manager Jobs in California

Pacific Coast Producers | Full-Time | On-Site | Non-Exempt
Pay Range: $17 - $20 /hour (based on experience)

Pacific Coast Producers (PCP), a growing agricultural cooperative with food production facilities across the West Coast, is seeking a detail-oriented and motivated QA Lab Tech to join our team at our Buyer's Lab in Lodi, CA. PCP is dedicated to investing in its people and fostering a culture of service, where each employee can do their best to make affordable, high-quality food for customers across North America.

As our QA Lab Tech, you will be the go-to person for keeping our buyers' lab running smoothly and making sure our imported products meet top quality standards. Reporting to the Quality Assurance Manager, this is a great role for someone who is highly organized, works well on their own, and wants to be a trusted partner to our broader quality team.

What You’ll Do

• Maintain an accurate inventory of all incoming Import Finished Goods.
• Perform quality verification tests according to PCP specifications and precisely document all test results.
• Maintain the shelf-life retain library for Import Finished Goods.
• Evaluate shelf-life retained sample studies, verifications, validations, and related activities.
• Collect and organize physical product samples for cuttings.
• Create detailed cutting summaries using information gathered from PCP’s inventory database.
• Organize and manage all physical samples and completed cutting summaries.
• Clean and maintain all trays, utensils, countertops, sinks, and laboratory or cutting room equipment.
• Input cutting notes and quality data into PCP’s cutting summary database and other internal systems.
• Return unused product samples to the sample library.
• Collect and organize specific product samples for customers.
• Assist other Technical Quality Assurance managers with special projects or in other areas as directed.

What You'll Bring to the Team:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with excellent attention to detail and organizational abilities.
• Basic computer proficiency, including comfort with database systems and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, and Access).
• Ability to learn, read, and interpret PCP lot code information.
• Strong physical capability to stand for long periods of time and safely lift/move cases of product weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Good visual acuity with the ability to accurately distinguish colors for product grading.
• Resilience under pressure and the ability to work effectively both individually and as a collaborative team player in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Basic knowledge of food manufacturing processes, research and development, product grading, or testing.
• Previous experience working in a laboratory environment or the food and beverage industry.

Why Join PCP?

At PCP, we take care of our people. Here are just a few of the benefits full-time employees enjoy:

• Competitive pay with opportunities for advancement.
• This position is eligible for our annual profit-sharing bonus program.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family, starting the first of the month after you join us.
• Retirement plans to support your long-term security.
• Paid time off including vacation, holidays, parental leave, sick leave, and bereavement.
• Life and disability insurance plus an Employee Assistance Program.
• Development opportunities through online courses, classroom training, and on-the-job growth.
• The stability of a farmer-owned cooperative with more than 50 years of success.
• A mission-driven culture focused on feeding families across North America.
  

Pay Range: $17 - $20 /hourly (based on experience). This is a full-time, on-site role, based at our Buyer's Lab in Lodi, CA.

The base salary range reflects the reasonable expectation for what the company anticipates paying for this role at the time of posting. The actual salary offered will depend on factors including, but not limited to:

• Relevant skills, education, and experience
• Job-related qualifications and certifications
• Internal pay equity
• Market conditions and business needs

Sponsorship: This role is not eligible for current or future visa sponsorship.

About PCP Summary

Established in 1971, Pacific Coast Producers is a cooperative owned by over 165 family farmers that grow and deliver various produce, including tomatoes, peaches, pears, grapes, cherries, and more, to production facilities in California and Oregon for processing and packaging. With over 3,000 dedicated employees, PCP strives to produce the finest quality products for customers across all channels of trade, including grocery retailers and foodservice distributors throughout the United States and Canada.

AA/EEO Policy Statement

Pacific Coast Producers is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. No employee or applicant will be discriminated against in any condition of employment because of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.