Maspanadas

Food Safety & Quality SpecialistCompany: Latin Goodness Foods, LLC (DBA MasPanadas)Location: Rockville, MD — On-siteEmployment Type: Full-Time, ExemptCompensation: $62,000 – $70,000 annually, commensurate with experienceReports To: Operations ManagerLanguage: English required · Spanish proficiency strongly preferred About MasPanadasMasPanadas is a fast growing USDA-inspected, SQF-certified food manufacturer producing retail empanadas and co-manufactured products for national retail accounts including Walmart, Costco, and Publix. We operate a 12,000 sq ft production facility in Rockville, MD under daily USDA FSIS oversight, with an SQF score of 95 and active HACCP plans covering raw and cooked beef and chicken. We are in a period of rapid growth — new retail authorizations, private label expansion, and a NRTE-to-RTE product conversion are all in motion — and this role is central to executing that growth safely and compliantly. Position SummaryThe Food Safety & Quality Specialist owns the day-to-day execution and continuous improvement of MasPanadas' food safety and quality systems. This is a practitioner-level role for a credentialed food safety professional — someone who has owned HACCP plans, managed SQF documentation, and operated in a USDA-regulated or FSMA-regulated facility. You will work directly with the Operations Manager and interface with USDA inspectors, SQF auditors, and retail customer representatives.This role is not a monitoring or documentation support position. You will lead food safety system development, own HACCP plan authorship and revision, drive SQF compliance, and make real-time food safety judgments on the production floor. You will also develop the QA team's technical capability over time. Key ResponsibilitiesHACCP Plan Ownership & RevisionOwn and maintain all active HACCP plans — currently covering raw ground beef, raw ground chicken, and co-manufactured gluten-free productsLead HACCP revisions required by active operational changes: transition from raw to precooked meat sourcing, and NRTE-to-RTE conversion for private label Costco productConduct hazard analyses for new products, ingredient changes, and process modificationsEnsure all HACCP plans remain current, validated, and audit-ready at all timesTrain shift supervisors and QA staff on CCP monitoring procedures and corrective action requirements SQF System ManagementManage and continuously improve the SQF Quality System — maintain all required documentation, records, and evidence packagesLead pre-audit preparation and internal mock audits; serve as primary liaison during SQF third-party auditsDrive corrective action and preventive action (CAPA) processes following observations or non-conformancesMaintain SQF-required training records, GMP documentation, and master sanitation schedulesIdentify and close gaps in the quality system between audit cycles — not just at audit time USDA & Regulatory ComplianceServe as the primary internal resource for daily USDA FSIS inspection activities — build and maintain a professional working relationship with the on-site inspectorEnsure all regulatory records (temperature logs, cook logs, sanitation pre-ops, SSOP records) are accurate, complete, and accessibleRespond to inspector observations, NRs (Noncompliance Records), and regulatory questions with appropriate urgency and documentationMonitor and communicate changes in FSIS regulations, FSMA requirements, and SQF standards that affect facility operations Food Safety Program DevelopmentOwn the allergen control program — maintain and enforce cross-contact prevention procedures between gluten-containing empanadas and gluten-free co-manufactured product linesDevelop and manage the environmental monitoring program — swab schedule, testing protocols, trend analysis, and corrective actionsLead modified atmosphere packaging (MAP/gas flush) validation and documentation as the facility installs nitrogen gas flush on the vertical baggerMaintain and improve supplier approval and incoming material verification programsOwn the facility's food defense and traceability programs Production Floor Engagement & QA Team DevelopmentBe a visible presence on the production floor — conduct GMP observations, verify CCP monitoring, and reinforce food safety culture across shiftsCoach and develop QA staff on technical food safety competencies; support the QA Manager's development toward SQF Practitioner certificationLead pre-shift and shift-change food safety communication with supervisorsInvestigate and close food safety incidents and customer complaints with root cause analysis and documented corrective actions Required QualificationsBachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, or a closely related field — requiredPreventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification — requiredDemonstrated hands-on experience managing SQF documentation, audit preparation, and corrective action in a food manufacturing facility — requiredFormal HACCP training and direct experience authoring or revising HACCP plans in a production environmentExperience working in a USDA FSIS-inspected or FDA-regulated food manufacturing facility3–6 years in a food safety, quality assurance, or FSQA role in food manufacturing — CPG, meat/poultry, or prepared foods preferredEnglish required; Spanish proficiency strongly preferred This is not a QA technician role, a floor monitoring role, or a documentation-only position. Candidates without formal food safety credentials and direct HACCP/SQF ownership experience are not the right fit for this position. Preferred QualificationsSQF Practitioner certification or active pursuit of certificationExperience with NRTE-to-RTE process conversions or thermal process validationFamiliarity with modified atmosphere packaging and related food safety documentationPrior experience in a USDA-inspected facility handling RTE protein productsBilingual English/Spanish — bilingual candidates will have a significant advantage in this role What You Will Own From Day OneActive HACCP plans for all product lines, with two significant plan revisions already in processSQF system documentation and audit readiness — next audit cycle already on the horizonAllergen control program across gluten-containing and gluten-free production linesDaily USDA inspector interface and regulatory recordkeepingEnvironmental monitoring program buildout and ongoing management Physical RequirementsRegular time on the production floor in a food manufacturing environmentMust wear required PPE in all production areas (hair net, coat, hearing protection where required)Ability to work in refrigerated and freezer environments as neededOccasional lifting up to 30 lbs To apply, submit your resume and a brief description of a HACCP plan or food safety system you have directly owned or revised.