Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager

Company Description

Mid States Specialty Eggs is headquartered in Smithton, Missouri, United States. Dedicated to producing high-quality specialty eggs, the company is committed to stringent quality standards and sustainable production methods. Mid-States Specialty Eggs, founded in 2008, is a 100% employee-owned company. We work with more than 1,000 family farmers across the Heartland of America to provide more than two billion eggs annually.  

Role Description

This is a full-time, on-site role for a Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager based in Sedalia, MO. This food safety and quality leader is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of quality and microbiological integrity within our further processing egg plant. The processing operations include breaking, pasteurizing, drying, freezing and packaging extended shelf-life. This role provides scientific oversight across formulation, process development, validation, and risk assessment, serving as the subject matter expert for regulatory compliance and quality systems. The position collaborates cross-functionally with Quality, Operations, Sales, Regulatory Affairs, and Supply Chain to support commercialization, continuous improvement, and risk mitigation.

Mid-States Specialty Eggs is seeking a food safety quality assurance manager with expertise in egg products and processing, and applicable knowledge of USDA egg products regulations, FSMA, HACCP, GFSI standards, and export compliance requirement. A candidate with a strong focus on lethality controls, environmental monitoring, and ready-to-eat (RTE) risk management is ideal with experience in food manufacturing, product development, and a deep understanding of egg-based products, formulations, and requirements.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. The Company does not provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Key Responsibilities:

Food Safety

• Serve as technical authority on food safety and microbiology for egg processing, with emphasis on control, lethality validation, and post-lethality contamination prevention.
• Lead microbiological risk assessments for liquid, frozen, and dried egg products, including challenge studies and shelf-life evaluations.
• Develop and maintain food safety programs including HACCP, Preventive Controls, and prerequisite programs (GMPs, SSOPs, sanitation, allergen control)
• Review and trend microbiological data (product, environmental, and process monitoring) and provide technical guidance on corrective actions.
• Support development, review, and maintenance of HACCP, HARPC, and FSMA preventive control programs specific to egg products.

Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Provide scientific review and approval of product specifications, process validations, and quality standards for egg ingredients and finished goods.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards, including USDA/FSIS Egg Products regulations and FDA/FSMA requirements including FDA Egg Products regulations (21 CFR 160) and Pasteurized Egg Products standards, GFSI schemes, SQF, and exporting requirements.
• Validate and verify pasteurization processes (time/temperature, flow rates, critical limits). Monitor and verify critical control points (CCPs) for pasteurization, drying, and freezing processes.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits; address technical findings related to microbiology, processing, and product quality.
• Collaborate with Quality and Operations on root cause analysis, deviation management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support supplier approval and verification programs
• Ensure incoming materials meet quality and food safety requirements

Environmental Monitoring & Sanitation

• Develop and manage environmental monitoring programs (EMP), including pathogen testing (e.g., Salmonella, Listeria spp. where applicable)
• Oversee sanitation effectiveness across wet and dry processing environments
• Verify SSOPs for breakers, tanks, pasteurizers, dryers, and packaging lines
• Drive hygienic zoning and traffic control to prevent cross-contamination

Quality Assurance

• Establish and enforce product specifications (liquid, frozen, and dried egg products)
• Monitor key quality attributes (solids, viscosity, color, microbiological standards)
• Lead root cause analysis for deviations, out-of-spec product, and customer complaints
• Ensure hold/release programs are strictly followed

Export Documentation & Compliance

• Prepare, review, and approve export documentation for egg products (liquid, frozen, dried)
• Coordinate required certifications (e.g., health certificates, certificates of free sale, pasteurization verification)
• Maintain current knowledge of importing country requirements and ensure compliance prior to shipment
• Ensure full traceability from raw egg supply through finished product for export eligibility
• Partner with regulatory agencies and customers to support international shipments

Documentation & Traceability

• Maintain complete, audit-ready records for CCPs, preventive controls, sanitation, and production
• Lead mock recalls and traceability exercises across raw and processed materials
• Ensure documentation supports both domestic and international regulatory requirements

Leadership

• Author and review technical reports, validation protocols, SOPs, risk assessments, and regulatory documentation.
• Communicate complex scientific findings to internal stakeholders and customers in a clear, actionable manner.
• Mentor team members and provide technical leadership across cross-functional teams with ~2 direct reports (QA technicians).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Poultry Science, or a related field preferred.
• 5 years of experience in food safety and/or quality within food manufacturing. Direct experience in further-processed eggs and/or value-added egg products preferred.
• Experience in shelf-life modeling, challenge studies, and statistical analysis of microbiological data.
• Strong expertise in pasteurization, lethality validation, and RTE food safety controls
• Professional certifications (PCQI, HACCP, SQF Practitioner).
• Knowledge of food regulations, ingredient interactions, processing methods, and food safety systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams or complex cross-functional projects.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities as needed.