Intermediate Quality Assurance Technician

Intermediate Quality Assurance Technician This position partners cross‑functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Management to ensure food/feed safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements are consistently applied throughout the manufacturing process. The Quality Assurance Technician serves as a key resource on the production floor, supporting quality systems in real‑time to drive First Pass Quality, product compliance, material yield, and operational efficiency. This is a highly visible plant‑support role requiring significant time on the manufacturing floor. Candidates must be comfortable working in a fast‑paced production environment and interacting with employees at all levels of the organization. Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Pay: $24.00 per hour. Weekly work may include weekend work, overtime, and schedule flexibility based on plant and business needs. Core Job Duties Support quality assurance and food/feed safety programs in real‑time on the production floor. Spend approximately 60‑70% of the workday in production and ingredient handling areas. Collect and review ingredient, in‑process, finished product, and retained samples for testing and evaluation. Assist with ingredient and finished feed evaluations to determine compliance with quality standards and specifications prior to use in production or release for shipment. Perform routine laboratory testing and maintain quality records. Verify product specifications, formulations, labels, lot codes, sequencing, and manufacturing requirements. Assist in investigating quality concerns, customer complaints, process deviations, and non‑conforming products. Monitor and maintain tag inventory to ensure adequate supply for production. Verify correct tags and labels are available and utilized for production runs in accordance with product specifications and regulatory requirements. Provide quality guidance and support to production employees and supervisors. Support regulatory, customer, and internal audit activities. Monitor compliance with food/feed safety programs, prerequisite programs, and quality management systems. Assist with inventory verification, product holds, releases, and quality‑related documentation. Support training initiatives related to quality and food/feed safety. Other duties as assigned by management. Experience & Education High School Diploma or GED. Minimum one (1) year of experience in manufacturing, quality assurance, laboratory, food, feed, or related industry. Competencies & Skills Required Strong attention to detail and organizational skills. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work independently and make sound decisions. Demonstrated teamwork, collaboration, and willingness to support fellow Quality Assurance team members while maintaining a positive and professional work environment. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, SAP, and REPETE and other business systems used to support quality, production, and inventory management activities. Ability to work cross‑functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Management teams. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast‑paced environment. Strong problem‑solving and continuous improvement mindset. Competencies & Skills Preferred Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Biology, Chemistry, Quality Assurance, or related field. Experience in food, feed, or manufacturing environments. Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, JD Edwards, or Oracle. Understanding of GMPs, HACCP, Preventive Controls, and food/feed safety programs. Experience supporting audits and regulatory inspections. Physical Requirements Ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, climbing stairs, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting. Ability to access production equipment, ingredient areas, and elevated work platforms. Ability to work while wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE). Ability to work in environments with dust, noise, moving equipment, and varying temperatures. Ability to work in both indoor and outdoor conditions as needed. Ability to spend extended periods on the manufacturing floor rather than at a desk. Work Environment Manufacturing facility with exposure to dust, noise, temperature fluctuations, and production equipment. Regular interaction with production employees, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and management. #J-18808-Ljbffr Land O'Lakes, Inc.