Quality Lab Technician - Ingredient Plant

Position Title: Quality Lab Technician

Reports To: Quality Team Leader

FLSA Status: Hourly, non-exempt

Job Grade: 2

Pay Range: $21.00-$31.94 per hour

Date Revised: February 2025

Job Summary:

Quality Lab Technician is a detail-oriented role within our aseptic dairy manufacturing facility. This role is responsible for conducting laboratory testing, data collection, and analysis on raw materials, ingredients, and finished products to ensure compliance with New York State Ag & Markets, FDA, USDA, and GMP regulations. The technician will also support remote quality assurance (QA) activities at Raw Milk Intake and contribute to special projects as needed. All tasks must be performed safely and in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare, collect, and analyze in-process and finished product samples, ensuring state certification for sampling is maintained.
• Perform analytical testing using instrumental and wet chemistry procedures.
• Verify quality and package integrity of outbound finished goods.
• Accurately enter and report data using established reporting procedures and documentation platforms.
• Support operations and logistics as part of the QA function.
• Complete traceability and tracking documentation, including reports and exception logs.
• Maintain cleanliness and calibration of laboratory instruments and equipment.
• Conduct microbiological analysis on finished products, raw ingredients, ATP swabs, and environmental samples.
• Collect, store, and maintain microbiological and shelf-life samples.
• Inspect production lines to ensure adherence to quality and packaging standards.
• Generate and manage quality control (QC) documentation and reports.
• Investigate historical data and provide analytical insights as needed.
• Collaborate with engineering, production, and sanitation teams to troubleshoot quality issues.
• Effectively communicate technical and analytical data using reports, charts, and graphs.
• Prioritize assignments and independently manage time to meet business needs.
• Initiate and document corrective actions when quality deviations occur.
• Place raw materials and finished products on hold as necessary and manage related exception reporting.
• Oversee sorting and disposition of held product as needed.
• Monitor and support quality checks performed by production personnel.
• Set up analytical equipment and perform daily calibrations.
• Prepare standard solutions and reagents following safety protocols.
• Ensure compliance with chemical handling and laboratory safety procedures.
• Maintain laboratory and remote work areas in a clean and organized condition following GMP standards.
• Assist processing and production personnel as needed.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, SOPs, and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required; Associate degree or higher in Food Technology, Dairy Science, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or Engineering preferred.
• Strong knowledge and experience in lab testing programs, regulatory compliance, food safety, labeling requirements, and dairy processing standards.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows-based software.
• Familiarity with basic laboratory equipment and techniques.
• Ability to analyze technical records and communicate findings clearly.
• Capable of working independently and within a team with minimal supervision.
• Ability to detect color changes in chemical testing and perform sensory evaluations of dairy products (must not have dairy allergies).
• Physical capability to lift up to 50 lbs and work 12-hour shifts or other schedules as business needs require, including overtime.
• Certification on the training plan for this position within six months of hire.
• Experience with standard lab equipment (e.g., pH meters, balances, spectrophotometers) preferred.
• Knowledge of advanced analytical techniques (e.g., GC, HPLC) is a plus.
• Familiarity with GMP, FDA, SQF, and other regulatory requirements is beneficial.
• Reliable transportation to and from the facility for scheduled shifts.

Working Conditions:

• Majority of work is performed in laboratory and production environments, requiring extended periods of standing.
• Exposure to temperature extremes, high noise levels, wet conditions, heights, dust, moving equipment, vibrations, and vapors.

Work Schedule:

• 6:00 PM - 6:30 AM

Equipment Used:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Safety glasses, steel-toed shoes, hearing protection.
• Laboratory Equipment: Electronic balances, colorimeters, torque testers, autoclaves, fume hoods, pH meters, titrators, spectrophotometers, distillation equipment, density meters, turbidimeters, refractometers, water baths, calcium meters, stirrers, centrifuges, ovens, vacuum pumps, timers, micro colony counters, BacT/Alert equipment, ATP swabbing tools, and incubators.
• Office Equipment: Personal computers, software applications, and standard office tools.

This position is ideal for a quality-focused individual with a strong background in food safety, laboratory testing, and regulatory compliance in the dairy manufacturing industry. If you have a passion for ensuring high-quality products and process integrity, we encourage you to apply!