Quality Technician

SUMMARY

This position has direct responsibility to ensure that all work activities under its span of control are performed with attention to the highest standards of food safety, food quality, compliance with all appropriate legal requirements and a focus on continuous process improvement.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following;
(Other duties may be assigned.)

• Perform QA Tech activities as detailed in “TRF351F QA Tech Training” documented in the Quality Manual.
• Maintain a “Certified” status in any required proficiency programs.
• Assure required inspections are documented clearly, cross referenced and traceable.
• Communicate with lead-persons, supervisors, and/or production manager on all food safety, quality and plant issues which may have a negative impact on product, and work together to correct the situation.
• Provide constant and consistent quality leadership to production operators, looking for ways to improve product quality. Actively work towards food safety and quality improvements, improvement in productivity, and cost reduction in regards to final product, plant conditions and customer service.
• Perform sensoric, organoleptic and/or analytical testing of ingredients in-line, WIP and finished product to ensure compliance to specifications.
• Maintain inspection stations, laboratory and equipment in a clean, safe and orderly manner on a daily basis.
• Adhere to all safety, GMP and GLP rules and regulations.
• Maintain and report nonconformance holds for rejected ingredients, WIP, finished product, and equipment, and assure its proper disposition.
• Assist in special tests, inspections or product development as requested of the plant QA department by Production or the R&D Department.
• Aid the QA Supervisor with consumer complaint investigations to identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive measures as needed.
• Assist QA Supervisor in training associates, when needed, to meet customer requirements and food safety/quality system requirements.
• Attend all in-house food safety and quality training.
• Other skills related to food safety and quality as required include:
• integrity, accuracy, detail oriented, and organized
• taking ownership of assignments, following up on and concluding any given task to meet targeted deadline
• being very keen and observant
• willingness to work overtime
• ability to follow instructions, procedures and rules
• ability to operate both independently and in a team environment and can problem solve using analytical skills
• effective interpersonal and communication skills (written, electronic, verbal, and listening)
• ability to work well with minimal supervision
• ability to foster and maintain a cooperative relationship both interdepartmentally and intradepartmentally
• having good problem identification, trouble-shooting and problem solving skills
• ability to work in the presence of the big nine allergens
• Must be 21 years of age due to tasting alcoholic beverages

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

WORK INSTRUCTIONS TO POSITION SOPs are critical in meeting customer specifications and are an integral part of food safety and quality. They are stored on the H: Drive, which is dedicated to ABC’s Food Safety and Quality Management System.

WORK SAFETY Ensures that all tasks and functions of position are performed in a safe manner at all times and that all procedures and requirements are properly followed to accomplish assigned tasks.

FOOD SAFETY/QUALITY Shall be responsible for food safety and quality as well as reporting food safety and quality problems to personnel with authority to initiate action.

BACKUP COVERAGE In the absence of the QA Tech, the QA Supervisor shall be responsible to make provisions to cover the absence with a qualified associate.

FOOD SAFETY CULTURE Embrace a culture of shared values, beliefs and norms that affect mind-set and behavior toward food safety in, across and throughout an organization.

QUALIFICATIONS To be considered qualified for this job, an individual shall have the required skills listed below and must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty listed in the QA Tech Job Objectives after a 2 week training and 1 week assessment period. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE High-school diploma or equivalent is required and at least 2 years experience in a food manufacturing environment or a BS Degree in biology, microbiology, food science, food technology, or related field with 0-1 year food production experience. Knowledge of HACCP, FDA regulations, and SQF preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Must be able to read, write and verbally communicate in English. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical procedures, supplier documentation, general business periodicals, professional journals, or governmental regulations. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from associates at all levels, including production associates, sanitation, line leads, supervisors, management, and executive.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to accurately perform basic math computations.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Computer literacy in Microsoft software applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); Apple based software RedZone.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

This position doesn’t require any certificates, licenses or registrations.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Occasional day travel may be required for external training nearby.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and lift. The employee is required to stand and walk at minimum 70% of the time.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close visions and ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must be able to work in a cold (40-50°F) environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.

Employee subject to company rules, regulations and GMPs.