Assistant QA Manager

Assistant QA Manager

Location: Paw Paw, MI (On site)

Benefits

• 401(k) retirement plan
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 9 paid company holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Position Summary

Sunberry Paw Paw Beverages Limited LLC is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and proactive Assistant QA Manager to support the Quality Assurance function and help maintain the highest standards of food safety, product quality, and regulatory compliance.

The Assistant QA Manager will assist in the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the company's food safety and quality management systems within a beverage manufacturing environment. This role is critical to ensuring compliance with SQF requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), regulatory standards, customer expectations, and company quality policies.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Systems & Food Safety

• Assist the QA Manager in developing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving food safety and quality management systems.
• Support the administration and maintenance of the SQF Food Safety Program and related quality initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with GMPs, sanitation programs, SOPs, SSOPs, HACCP principles, and other food safety requirements.
• Monitor and verify critical quality and food safety controls throughout the manufacturing process.

Audits & Regulatory Compliance

• Support internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Assist in audit preparation activities, including documentation review and record maintenance.
• Participate in audit responses, corrective action development, and follow-up activities.
• Maintain compliance with applicable food safety regulations, customer requirements, and company standards.

Quality Control Operations

• Monitor daily Quality Control activities involving raw material receiving, production, processing, packaging, and finished product release.
• Review quality records, laboratory reports, production documentation, and product specifications for accuracy and compliance.
• Verify adherence to established quality standards and product requirements.

Investigations & Corrective Actions

• Support investigations related to quality deviations, non-conforming products, customer complaints, and food safety incidents.
• Assist in CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) investigations and implementation.
• Verify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions and ensure proper documentation.

Training & Employee Engagement

• Assist in developing and conducting training programs related to food safety, quality systems, GMPs, sanitation requirements, and company procedures.
• Promote a culture of quality and food safety throughout the organization.
• Work closely with production teams to ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards.

Documentation & Supplier Quality

• Maintain accurate and organized QA records required for SQF certification, regulatory compliance, and customer audits.
• Support supplier quality programs, including supplier evaluations, raw material specifications, and vendor performance monitoring.
• Ensure all quality documentation is completed accurately and retained according to company requirements.

New Product Development

• Support new product development initiatives by providing quality and food safety guidance throughout the development process.
• Assist with establishing product specifications, quality standards, testing requirements, and process controls for new products.
• Participate in product trials, testing, validation, and commercialization activities.
• Identify and address potential food safety and quality risks associated with new products and processes.

Continuous Improvement

• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on food safety, product quality, operational efficiency, and process control.
• Identify quality risks and recommend practical solutions to improve performance and compliance.
• Communicate quality concerns, trends, and recommendations to management and production teams.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other quality assurance and food safety duties as assigned by the QA Manager.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Quality Assurance, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in food manufacturing, beverage manufacturing, quality assurance, or quality control.
• Hands-on experience with SQF and food safety management systems.
• Strong knowledge of GMPs and food manufacturing requirements.
• Experience participating in internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Working knowledge of food safety regulations and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience with quality control procedures, inspections, documentation, testing, and quality reporting.
• Experience with new product development, including quality and food safety considerations, product specifications, testing, and process validation.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Production, Operations, and Quality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications

• SQF Practitioner certification or equivalent food safety certification.
• Experience in beverage manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of FDA food safety regulations, FSMA requirements, preventive controls, food labeling, and traceability programs.
• Experience with environmental monitoring, sanitation verification, and finished product testing.

Sunberry Paw Paw Beverages Limited LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.