Quality Assurance Technician - Milwaukie

Quality Assurance Technician

Salary: $20-22/hour

FLSA Status: Hourly Non-Exempt

Schedule: Full Time, Sunday to Thursday 5:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Flexibility required, including early mornings, weekends, holidays, and peak-season hours.

Required: Current Oregon Food Handler's Card

Location & Transportation: Elephants Milwaukie Kitchen is located at 2600 SE Mailwell Dr. Reliable transportation is required. Due to our location, dependable transportation to and from our store is essential.

About Elephants: A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now operates seven Portland-metro retail locations and a thriving catering company. As a certified B Corporation, we are committed to sustainability, transparency, and using business as a force for good — while serving exceptional, scratch-made food rooted in our local community.

Elephants Delicatessen is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion.

What We Offer:

• Employer contributed vacation and sick time
• Kaiser Medical coverage, with alternative care as a bonus (acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, etc.)
• Mental Health Services
• Dental, FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts), and 401(k) with 4% company match
• Training that will fast-track your culinary/hospitality career
• Free counseling and financial services
• Opportunities for advancement
• Discounts on our delicious made-from-scratch food
• Pet insurance
• Chance to win employee raffles
• Discounts at Sketchers, Shoes for Crews, Verizon, Sprint, select B Corporations, and many more
• A commitment to inclusion, diversity, community involvement, employee well-being, and environmental protection

Elephants Delicatessen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Elephants Delicatessen participates in the E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Please see the following notices for more information:

E-Verify Participation Poster (English/Spanish) Right to Work Poster (English/Spanish)

About the Role: As a Quality Assurance Technician, you will play a key role in ensuring that every product meets Elephants Delicatessen's standards for food safety, quality, and consistency. This is a hands-on role, with about 90% of your time on the production floor, working closely with production and quality teams. Your attention to detail will help maintain regulatory compliance while supporting the integrity and reputation of our brand.

This position is a great fit for someone who takes pride in their work, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and quality.

What You'll Do:

• Conduct pre-operational inspections and perform ATP and allergen swabbing prior to production startup.
• Monitor Critical Control Points (CCPs) and Preventive Controls (PCs) to ensure compliance with HACCP and food safety programs.
• Inspect incoming ingredients, packaging materials, finished products, labels, lot codes, and product weights for accuracy and compliance.
• Complete HACCP, sanitation, environmental monitoring, receiving, and quality records accurately and in real time.
• Verify calibration of thermometers, scales, pH meters, ATP luminometers, and other quality monitoring equipment.
• Monitor and enforce Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), allergen control procedures, and sanitation requirements.
• Support internal audits, mock recalls, USDA-FSIS and FDA inspections, and food safety initiatives.
• Identify, document, and communicate food safety and quality concerns while assisting with corrective actions and investigations.
• Collect environmental monitoring samples and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Partner with production, sanitation, and leadership teams to maintain product safety, quality, and consistency.

What We're Looking For:

• High School Diploma or GED required. Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Technology, Quality Assurance, or a related field preferred.
• 1–2 years of experience in food manufacturing, food quality assurance, or a related role.
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, Preventive Controls, allergen management, and food safety principles.
• Current Oregon Food Handler Certification (or ability to obtain within required timeframe). HACCP and PCQI certifications are a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
• Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, work in refrigerated environments, and lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Comfortable working in a food manufacturing environment with exposure to allergens, sanitation chemicals, and production equipment.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are a plus.

If you have a passion for food safety, an eye for detail, and a commitment to quality, we'd love to meet you!