Food Safety Quality Assurance Senior Technician - Third Shift

FSQA Senior Technician

DITSCH USA creates memorable pretzel experiences! We bake artisan pretzels available for both food service and retail markets. As a leading producer of pretzels, we are committed to freshness and providing clean-label products. The quality of our irresistible products comes from more than 100 years of experience and craftsmanship in the ART OF PRETZEL MAKING!

We seek those who want to learn and grow within our organization. Ditsch USA offers development options to add to your skill set and open new opportunities for you within our organization. At Ditsch USA you will find a welcoming, safe, and team-orientated environment.

Job Summary:

The FSQA Lead serves as the primary quality and food safety resource on their assigned shift. This position provides technical guidance and daily direction to FSQA Technicians while ensuring compliance with food safety, quality, customer, and regulatory requirements.

The FSQA Lead supports the FSQA Supervisor by monitoring production activities, conducting investigations, verifying compliance programs, leading quality inspections, and assisting with corrective actions. This position does not typically have direct disciplinary responsibility but serves as the lead quality representative during assigned shifts.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor production activities to ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards
• Verify adherence to HACCP, GMP, allergen, sanitation, and customer requirements
• Conduct routine production audits and inspections
• Perform pre-operational and operational inspections
• Verify critical control points (CCPs) and preventive controls
• Ensure product specifications and quality standards are met

• Serve as the primary FSQA contact during assigned shifts
• Provide guidance and support to FSQA Technicians
• Assist in training new FSQA personnel
• Coordinate technician assignments during the shift
• Escalate significant food safety and quality concerns to management
• Assist supervisors with daily quality priorities

• Review product and process documentation
• Initiate product holds when necessary
• Assist with product disposition decisions
• Verify corrective actions before release of held materials

• Participate in customer complaint investigations
• Conduct root cause analysis using tools such as: 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams
• Document findings and corrective actions
• Verify effectiveness of corrective actions

• Assist with customer, regulatory, and third-party audits
• Ensure production areas remain audit-ready
• Conduct internal GMP and food safety audits
• Verify completion of corrective actions

• Review production quality records for accuracy and completeness
• Trend quality data and identify recurring issues
• Assist with KPI reporting
• Communicate quality concerns to operations and management

• Identify opportunities to improve food safety and quality systems
• Recommend process improvements
• Participate in cross-functional improvement projects
• Support waste reduction and defect reduction initiatives

Education & Experience:

• Associate degree preferred
• High School Diploma or GED required
• 35 years of food manufacturing quality experience preferred
• Previous FSQA Technician experience strongly preferred
• Experience with HACCP, GMPs, allergen controls, and food safety system

Physical Requirements:

• Working conditions are normal for a manufacturing environment.
• Ability of adjusting or moving objects of varying weights up to 30 lbs. in all directions.
• Ability to communicate with others to exchange information.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Ability to withstand various climates through the facility i.e. freezer, dock, production (as low as -15 degrees up to 110 degrees)
• Ability to work in an environment with flashing lights, horns, and powered moving equipment operating in proximity.
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
• Prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking and/or remaining in a stationary position and often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Ability to move self into different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and/or confined spaces.
• Must be physically able to ascend and descend ladders, stairs, ramps, poles and scaffolding.
• Excellent hand/eye coordination.
• Ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Adaptability to work in diverse environments and surfaces.
• Ensure compliance with GMPs and maintain a clean work environment.
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment as needed.
• Stand and move around the manufacturing floor for up to 8 hours.
• Capability to stand, walk, squat, and perform repetitive tasks.

If you're seeking a role where you can become an integral part of our innovative team, apply today.

What we offer you (perks, bonuses, benefits):

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Automatic, FREE $25,000 life insurance policy
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options
• Additional voluntary life, AD&D, Critical Illness, and Short-Term Disability
• 401k Retirement Plan with Match
• Paid Time Off (PTO) & Holidays
• Ongoing training and development

Please note this job posting is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee in this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The physical requirements are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the job's essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Ditsch USA, is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.