QA Lab Technician

PURPOSE OF ROLE

Quality Assurance Technician performs numerous essential functions to ensure the safety and quality of all incoming materials and finished products used and produced by the plant. The QA Lab Technician answers to the QA Lab Supervisor and must adhere to all company policies, standard operating procedures and customer regulations and specifications.

PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Enforce the company's Good Manufacturing Practices Policy.
• Verifies the calibration of all thermometers used in the plant.
• Performs analysis of products with the Food Scan Machine (FOSS), pH meter, colorimeter, Brix, Bostwick Titratable Acidity and documents all results and notifies the QA Team if a test if out of spec.
• Responsible for cleanliness of the lab and all equipment.
• Assists the QA Lab Supervisor on inventory control and calibration scheduling.
• Makes routine visits to the Cold Storage Facility to inspect damaged or suspect inventory, pull retest samples if needed and retrieve retains for further inspection if needed.
• Perform and coordinate product evaluations with the management team to verify organoleptic expectations and document those results.
• Perform post-freeze product testing for customer specific products, document and report the results.
• Pull testing sites from randomizer and prepare swabs for QA Technicians.
• Conducting pre-operational inspection of equipment and facilities as required.
• Perform ATP swabbing and environmental swabbing as needed.
• Take raw and finished product temperatures.
• Monitor physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of raw and finished products.
• Work alongside USDA and production employees.
• Monitor food security and safety.
• Training plant personnel on food safety and quality policies and procedures.
• Ensure testing equipment is cleaned and calibration verified prior to use.
• Assist the QA Manager and QA Department on any other tasks as needed.

J OB QUALIFICATIONS/ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• High School Diploma or equivalency
• Frequently stands, lifts 50 lbs., walks, reaches, stoops, bends, handles product, smells, listens, speaks and sees
• Basic computer skills including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Must be able to work in extreme temperature
• Must be a team player and be able to work cross-functionally
• Must be able to work unsupervised

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The temperature ranges from 0 degrees in freezers to 110 degrees in the cook rooms. There is exposure to equipment and machinery that are considered to be hazardous. Potential electrical, chemical, and heat hazards are also present. The level of noise is high and constant. Floors are damp and slick. There is forklift traffic present.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

Hard hats, ear plugs or muffs, frocks, non-porous steel toe boots, hair nets, and beard nets must be worn at all times within the plant. Cotton and Latex gloves must be worn when handling product or contacting sanitary surfaces at all times for personal safety and product quality.

EMERGENCY TASK AND JOB ASSIGNMENT:

In the event that the QA Lab Tech is not available the QA Lab Supervisor/QA Tech will be responsible for assigned tasks.