QA Technician

Job Summary: Oversee the production process, ensuring safety and quality standards are met. 

Required Skills/Abilities: 

• Prior food service industry experience is a plus.
• Must have good written, verbal, and math skills.
• Basic computer knowledge, ERP system, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint 
• Must be highly detail orientated.
• Ability to understand documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence in English

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for daily QA function within a food processing plant.
• Daily, perform a pre-operational sanitation checklist for buildings A, B, C, and D
• Perform an operational sanitation checklist for buildings A, B, C, and D for each production day.
• Monitors production compliance with HACCP Plan
• Perform ATP test after deep cleaning procedures and after allergen productions. Determine conformance or nonconformance and take corrective action when necessary.
• Check traceability records compared with actual lot numbers and correct any discrepancies.
• Periodic audit of Recipes to see if followed.
• Periodic line studies to pinpoint sources of increased micro count on product.
• Collect and maintain reference samples for all products manufactured daily for freezer storage.
• Collect records from the previous day's production.
• Check the thawing process and document.
• Check all temperatures around the facility and record them on the Daily Temperature Log sheet and Pre-shipment HACCP record (2x Daily- am. / p.m.)
• Take aseptic raw material and finished good samples for microbiological analysis.
• At least every hour, makes a production inspection for (if specifications are met):
  1. The thickness of the dough
  2. Raw product integrity
  3. Internal product temperature (when applicable).
  4. Organoleptic inspection.
  5. Cooling tank operating
  6. Product condition after the freezer
  7. Packing machine operation, package seals
  8. Proper film bag, bag code date
  9. Box label and code date
  10. Metal detector
  11. Weight
  12. Employee dress
  13. Floor area
  14. Monitor all areas of production
  15. Water pick up when doing Precooked items.
  16. Perform pH testing and Bostwick (Sauce plant) 
• When product is out of specification, put product on HOLD following SOP.
• When Metal Detector rejects product, QA must inspect product following SOP
• Check sanitizer concentration once a week.
• Check soap concentration once a week using a test kit.

Education/Experience:

• High School Diploma or equivalent 
• Manufacturing experience 

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to work near moving mechanical parts; and toxic or caustic chemicals
• The employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electrical shock
• Hot or cold temperatures
• The noise level in the work environment is loud

Physical Requirements:

• Able to lift or move up to 50 pounds, with or without assistance
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Ability to stand for long periods
• The employee is frequently required to walk and talk or listen to other employees/line leaders/supervisor