QARM Technician - 1st Shift

Job Description

Job Description

About Amy’s

At Amy’s Kitchen, we're more than just a food company- we're a family-owned, proudly independent organic, and vegetarian food company on a mission. As a Certified B Corporation®, our purpose is clear: to make it simple and enjoyable for everyone to eat well.

We're committed to crafting authentic, mouthwatering dishes using only the finest organic ingredients sourced with care. From farm to table, we ensure top-notch quality in every bite, making healthy eating accessible and convenient for all. At Amy’s, we're not just serving meals; we're serving up a taste of goodness, one delicious dish at a time.

Shift:1st

Schedule: Monday to Friday.

Hours: 10:00 am to 6:30pm. The schedule may vary depending on business needs.

Pay: $19.25/hr

Location: White City

Amy’s Perks:

• A fun and safe atmosphere where teamwork is encouraged
• Weeks of on-the-job training for your new role
• Discount on Amy’s products
• Opportunities to grow and advance your career
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Affordable Amy’s meals on-site for lunch and dinner
• Bonus incentives based on attendance and safety
• Referral Bonuses
• Safety Shoe Program, covered by Amy’s
• 401k program (up to 4% contribution matching after 1 year)
• Parental Leave Program
• Education reimbursement; scholarship Program
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Unpaid Time Off options

SUMMARY
The QARM Technician works in the Quality and Food Safety department and completes quality checks to ensure inbound raw materials meet predefined requirements. Assesses lab equipment conditions to ensure they meet specified requirements for conducting evaluations. Clearly communicates raw material issues across departments (Food Safety, Sensory, Production, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Supplier Quality, Planning, and Sourcing). Works closely with the entire Quality and Food Safety team to ensure consistent evaluations and quality expectations are met. In their absence, the QARM Coordinator can cover their duties and responsibilities to Food Safety.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES may include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Conduct required tests on incoming raw materials in accordance with raw material sampling and inspecting procedures:
• Chemical and physical analysis: temperature, pH, brix, moisture, viscosity, particle size distribution by using a variety of laboratory equipment and measuring devices
• Sensory analysis: flavor, texture, color, odor compared to a reference or standard. Requires stove top cooking and preparation
• Visual inspection: sorting for foreign material, defects/blemishes, size and color variances, infestations or other gross contamination, occasional use of microscope

• Identify variances from expectations/standards and communicate these to the supervisor and any relevant departments/parties per procedure.
• Monitor physical values on lab equipment and confirm appropriate conditions for operation including verification and calibration of the equipment.
• Perform Preventive Controls monitoring as needed.
• Use Amy’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to input required evaluation results and to accurately manage raw material lot statuses for all Amy's inventory organizations; Required to identify raw material inventory lots and ensure that they are on the appropriate inventory status.
• Use ERP system along with other applicable systems to verify supplier lot code accuracy for company traceability requirements.
• Use Amy’s Business Intelligent (BI) system to verify that all ingredients raw material evaluations have been completed on inter-organization transfers.
• Place raw materials on hold when necessary and accurately communicate the reasoning using specification language and photos.
• Communicate reconditioning requirements to the manufacturing teams when necessary
• Verify required Certificates of Analysis (COA) (physical and chemical) and other required records for raw materials have been received for all applicable lots.
• Access Amy’s raw material specifications, applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Work Instructions in Amy’s document control system.
• Verify all required pallet labels are present and accurate for all raw material lots and collaborate with the appropriate teams to ensure that incorrect information is corrected.
• Initiate item reclassifications and Lot Translations when necessary.
• Follow-up on the daily truck schedule to ensure all raw materials receipts are inspected within the required time frame.
• Assist with solutions to problems encountered on the dock during receiving or storage.
• Evaluate and extend the shelf life of expiring raw material inventory.
• Participate in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) audits such as brittle glass/plastic and/or environmental monitoring of warehouse receiving and storage areas

It is the responsibility of all employees to uphold the mission of the Amy’s Food Safety and Quality Policy. This includes following all Food Safety and Sustainability programs and participating in all required training.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

COMPETENCIES

• Communicativeness – Recognize the essential value of continuous information exchange and the competitive advantage it brings; actively seek information from a variety of sources and disseminate it in a variety of ways; use modern technologies to access and circulate information, even across great distances; take responsibility for ensuring that their colleagues have the current and accurate information needed for success.
• Drive & Energy – Ambitious and passionate about their role in the organization; have the stamina and endurance to handle the substantial workload present in today's organizations; know that a healthy work/life balance is important to sustained energy; motivated to maintain a fast pace and continue to produce even in exhausting circumstances.
• Integrity – Think and act ethically and honestly; apply ethical standards of behavior to daily work activities; take responsibility for their actions and foster a work environment where integrity is rewarded.
• Organizing and Planning – Have strong organizing and planning skills that allow them to be highly productive and efficient; manage their time wisely, and effectively prioritize multiple competing tasks
• Problem Solving and Decision Making – Able to identify problems, solve them, act decisively, and show good judgment; isolate causes from symptoms, and compile information and alternatives to illuminate problems or issues; involve others as appropriate and gather information from a variety of sources; find a balance between studying the problem and solving it; readily commit to action and make decisions that reflect sound judgment.
• Team Player - Team oriented; identify with the larger organizational team and their role within it; share resources, respond to requests from other parts of the organization, and support larger legitimate organizational agendas as more important than local or personal goals.
• Written Communication – Write clearly and concisely, composing informative and convincing memos, e-mails, letters, reports, and other documents; able to use the written language to convey both substance and intent with accuracy.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)

EXPERIENCE

• One to three years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. Previous experience with food products preferred.

SKILLS

• Extremely detail-oriented
• Self-starter who works with little or no supervision
• Basic keyboard and computer skills, including spreadsheets
• Ability to learn and use company EBS system/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or equivalent
• Reliable/Dependable
• Sensory skills

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's potentially with decimals in order to determine averages, percentages, and ratios
• Ability to perform these operations using units of both English and Metric for weight measurement, volume, and distance.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos
• Ability to write, type, and email simple correspondence in English
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

United States Driver’s License in order to operate personal vehicle to sample and inspect off site raw materials.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, cold (coolers and freezers) and hot (proximity to processing equipment), as well as moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud due to fork lifts and other warehouse equipment.