Customer Quality Service Specialist

Steuben Foods is a leading aseptic food and beverage manufacturer in the United States, proudly operating as a longstanding family-owned business. With roots firmly planted in Western New York, we are committed to providing our customers with superior aseptic products in a safe, clean, and efficient workplace environment. Our dedication to excellence in food safety and quality, innovation, and continued growth has propelled us to become a trusted name in the industry.

Schedule: Monday–Friday, with weekends as needed

Position Summary

We are seeking a Customer Quality Service Specialist to support customer quality requirements, product commercialization, and ongoing product changes within our food manufacturing operation.

This position serves as a key connection between customers and internal teams, helping ensure product formulations, specifications, documentation, and quality requirements are accurately established and maintained. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, comfortable managing multiple projects, and able to communicate effectively with customers and cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Support food safety and quality activities related to new customers, new products, and product commercialization.
• Coordinate and execute customer quality requirements and support audit requirements, including SQF.
• Communicate directly with customers through email, phone, and meetings regarding product formulations, specifications, commercialization projects, and requested changes.
• Review and approve specification packets and coordinate approved changes with appropriate internal departments.
• Collaborate with Quality, Manufacturing, Business Development, Procurement, and other departments to ensure new products and product changes are successfully prepared for production.
• Coordinate the commercialization process and help maintain clear project stages, timelines, responsibilities, and deliverables.
• Identify potential roadblocks affecting customer projects and work with internal and external teams toward resolution.
• Gather and analyze laboratory and product data to help establish or update product specification ranges.
• Prepare data summaries, trending information, and statistical analyses for internal teams and customers.
• Support Manufacturing by ensuring customer formulations and finished-product specifications are accurately converted and communicated for production.
• Create and maintain product models, resource codes, bills of material (BOMs), quality specifications, and other product information within company ERP systems.
• Support product setup and maintenance within Protean and SAP.
• Create and maintain Product Engineering Records (PERs) and related commercialization documentation.
• Utilize project management systems to track projects, tasks, deadlines, and accountability.
• Maintain controlled documents and assist with updates to manufacturing and operational documentation.
• Support traceability and Mock Recall exercises as required.
• Assist with commercialization stage-gate activities from successful pilot production through production trials and commercial production.
• Participate in customer meetings and new customer introductions as needed.
• Prepare and maintain commercialization status reports, project management reports, KPI reporting, and other quality documentation.
• Follow all company food safety, quality, sanitation, and workplace safety requirements.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary work area.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Associate degree in Business, Science, Food Science, Quality, or a related field preferred.
• 5 years of experience in project management, quality assurance, customer quality, product commercialization, or a related field.
• Food or beverage manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with both customers and internal teams.
• Excellent organizational and project-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, changing priorities, and deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and use findings to support continuous improvement.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and reporting/presentation software.
• Experience working with ERP or manufacturing systems; Protean experience is a plus.
• SAP experience is preferred but not required.
• Understanding of food manufacturing regulations, ingredients, formulations, specifications, and quality requirements preferred.
• Ability to identify and utilize the appropriate resources to resolve problems and keep projects moving forward.