Quality Control Technician

Join Blommer!  We offer HEALTH & DENTAL BENEFITS DAY 1 OF HIRE!  Blommer understands that our employees are our biggest assets. With this in mind we offer a generous benefits package, tuition reimbursement and 10 pounds of free chocolate for your birthday!

Blommer has been providing delicious, high quality chocolate and cocoa products to customers since 1939.  Built as a family business, we are continuing to grow and are looking for motivated and reliable associates to help in our mission of Bringing Chocolate to Life!   

• Reports to: Quality Supervisor
• Shift: Monday-Friday 7:00am to 3:30pm 
• Starting: $28.00 per hour 

JOB SUMMARY:

The QC Technician is required to adhere to all aspects of quality assurance and quality control programs. This role requires quality standards are met by conducting appropriate testing methods and procedures. The QC Technician is required to perform these duties in a safe and responsible manner following all Blommer Chocolate safety policies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Follow the food safety and quality progress, producers, and testing to ensure a safe and consistent product that meets the customer specifications.
• Assist in the implementation of food safety programs and policies at the facility.
• Ensure requirements set forth in the Quality Assurance & Control Programs to support the safe manufacture of food are met; programs and may include but are not limited to Environmental Monitoring, Sanitation Program, Shipping and Receiving, Allergen, Hold &Release, GMPs, Food Defense, Raw Material Sampling, Pre-ship Sampling.
• Operate and calibrate various laboratory equipment needed to validate product.
• Validate product through instrumentation testing & physical testing of raw materials, in process material and finished goods; tests include fat, particle size (Microtrac and micrometer), pH, moisture, allergen, free fatty acid, color (Hunter colorimeter), shell in nib.
• Monitor quality attributes for all manufactured products to ensure accurate product specification to customer requirements.
• Maintain detailed, timely, and accurate records of all incoming materials, daily test results and outgoing shipments using the batch system and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Conducts quality calibrations, internal audits, and project assignments in a timely, safe and professional manner.
• Report results, issues and roadblocks to Quality Control Manager including unusual product observations, analytical result. Convey instrumentation issues to Quality Control Manager for review and resolution.
• Comply with established quality, safety, and environmental procedures and policies.
• Communicate work status updates to Quality Control, Quality Assurance, customer service, production areas, identifying delays, product status.
• Update internal database with work-completed, issue status, and other information as needed. Initiate hold process for off spec products and work in process (WIPs).
• Aid in sampling and disposition of held material.
• Maintain retain samples.
• Assist production in the stabilization process by providing guidance in correcting out of spec products or possibly stabilize product if assigned to this position. 

 QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associates in Food Science, Chemistry or Microbiology preferable; may be substituted with equivalent experience.
• Proficient in current computer software – Microsoft Office; utilize handheld data terminal such as scanner and tablet device, LIMS, warehouse management and ERP systems.
• Must be able to taste and consume chocolate and related products

 EXPERIENCE/SKILL:

• Entry level with associates degree or three years laboratory experience preferable in food manufacturing environment. Knowledge of GMP’s and HACCP.

 ELIGIBILITY:

All full time or part time employees with more than six months (from the date of completing training) of service with Blommer are eligible to apply for posted openings. Per Blommer attendance policy, an employee will not be permitted to apply for job postings if they have a verbal warning for attendance or greater. If you are the successful candidate to a posted position you are then restricted to applying again for a different position for a period of one year.

Only those deemed qualified will be interviewed.

Blommer Chocolate Company 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. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Salary : $28