Quality Technician - 3rd Shift

Quality Assurance Technician

Grow Your Career with Thrive Freeze Dry

Thrive Freeze Dry is expanding and becoming one of the largest freeze-dry manufacturers in the world. Conveniently located in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, we are hiring immediately for a full-time Quality Assurance Technician in our Pet Food Division.

Position Details:

• Position: Quality Assurance Technician
• Location: Ryan Road & I-94, Oak Creek, WI
• Schedule: 3rd Shift | 5:30 PM - 5:30 AM
• Reports To: Quality Assurance Supervisor
• Starting Pay: $25.50 - $26.50

Thrive Freeze Dry is a leader in the freeze-dried food industry. Headquartered in American Fork, Utah, with operations throughout North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Thrive Foods is leading trends in healthy snacking, nutritious ingredients, and clean-label products across the human food, probiotics, and pet food sectors. As a result, Thrive Foods maintains a blue-chip customer base consisting of food service companies, natural food retailers, and well-known consumer brands.

As our company grows, so do our ambitions. We are team-oriented and committed to safety, food quality, and continuous improvement. Our values are simple and guide everything we do.

Thrive Freeze Dry Values:

• Lead with Integrity
• Treat People Well
• Chase Big Goals
• Do What Matters Most
• Win Together
• Learn & Grow

Position Summary:

The Food Service Quality Technician plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of food products within our operation. This position is responsible for monitoring, documenting, and supporting quality assurance standards, procedures, and controls to meet internal and external requirements.

The ideal candidate is committed to food safety and quality, continuously seeks opportunities for improvement, and is ready to roll up their sleeves and contribute to a growing team.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Inspect and sample incoming raw materials, ingredients, and packaging materials to ensure compliance with established specifications and standards.
• Conduct inspections and evaluations of product returns, including customer complaints, rejected products, and incorrectly shipped products.
• Collect samples of incoming materials according to established sampling plans.
• Evaluate collected samples against Thrive Foods specifications and requirements.
• Prepare incoming material inspection reports and non-conformance reports for materials that fail to meet specifications.
• Ensure all incoming material inspection reports are maintained and properly filed.
• Communicate material non-conformances to management.
• Maintain incoming QA sample storage and sample libraries to ensure efficient retrieval.
• Review supplier Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to verify compliance with Thrive Foods specifications.
• Serve as a backup for QA Auditors as needed.
• Support food safety, quality, and sanitation programs throughout the facility.
• Communicate food safety incidents, observations, and opportunities for improvement to leadership and team members.
• In the absence of QA Management, help ensure food safety, quality objectives, and SQF system requirements are met.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

Minimum of two (2) years of experience in quality control within a field, laboratory, or production environment.

Experience in food manufacturing or food service is highly preferred.

Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally and effectively with internal and external customers.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Excellent organizational and time-management skills.

Reliable attendance and dependability.

Food Safety Requirements:

• Maintain a high level of commitment to food safety, quality, and sanitation by understanding and following Thrive Freeze Dry's food safety and sanitation policies and procedures.
• Hold yourself and others accountable to established food safety and sanitation guidelines.
• Communicate food safety incidents, observations, or opportunities for improvement to leadership or team members.
• In the absence of the QA Manager, serve as a backup to help ensure food safety objectives, quality objectives, and SQF system requirements are met.

Work Environment:

This position is performed in a food manufacturing environment with frequent temperature variations. Employees must possess unrestricted visual and auditory abilities to safely perform essential job functions.

Physical requirements include:

• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
• Frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling
• Frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling
• Occasional fine finger dexterity

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required and provided by Thrive Freeze Dry.

Product Safety & Quality Responsibilities:

• Prioritize food safety, quality, and sanitation by understanding and following Thrive Freeze Dry's policies and procedures.
• Hold yourself and others accountable for maintaining food safety and quality standards.
• Report food safety or quality incidents, observations, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all Product Safety and Quality standards.
• Follow GMP requirements related to food-contact packaging.
• Support Thrive Freeze Dry's food safety, product defense, and quality objectives while complying with all SQF system requirements.

Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Health & Wellness:

• Medical Insurance (UMR / United Healthcare Network)
• Dental Insurance (Sun Life)
• Vision Insurance (VSP)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Effective on the first day of the month following 30 days of employment.

Supplemental Insurance:

• Optional Critical Illness Insurance
• Optional Critical Accident Insurance
• Company-Paid Life Insurance
• Company-Paid Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Company-Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance

Retirement:

• 401(k) with Company Match
• Employer match up to 4% of annual salary

Effective on the first day of the month following 90 days of employment.

Additional Benefits:

• Weekly Pay
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Safety Shoe Program
• Tuition Reimbursement

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Thrive Freeze Dry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

For more information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity rights, please visit