FSQA Specialist III

Are you ready for your next adventure? At Oregon Freeze Dry, innovation isn’t just a buzzword, it’s our foundation. We are a purpose driven company with six decades of expertise in freeze-drying technology. Best known as the makers of Mountain House© meals, we are experts in advanced lyophilization solutions that can help people live healthier lives. Our headquarters in Albany, Oregon sits at the crossroads of science and nature, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes that fuel bold ideas and transformative breakthroughs.

We’re driven by a commitment to quality, creativity, and continuous improvement, and we’re always looking ahead to what's next. If you’re passionate and ready to make an impact, Oregon Freeze Dry isn’t just a place to work, it’s where your adventure begins.

We’re looking for a Food Safety and Quality Specialist III to join the Quality team. This position plays a vital role in protecting what matters most – the safety and quality of the food we make. In this role you’ll take the lead in ensuring full compliance with regulatory, customer, and company standards while driving continuous improvement in every process. You’ll champion our food safety and quality programs, collaborate across departments, and represent Oregon Freeze Dry’s unwavering commitment to excellence with clients, auditors, and partners.

• Lead food safety and quality programs, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, client expectations, and company standards.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, auditors, and external stakeholders on food safety and quality matters.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to implement new or updated food safety and quality programs effectively.
• Develop and execute monitoring plans, interpret test results, and lead investigations into deviations, including customer complaints.
• Support and drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), ensuring accountability and alignment across teams.
• Lead customer, third‑party, and regulatory audits evaluating overall QMS.
• Create and deliver training materials to ensure compliance across relevant departments.
• Maintain and update documentation to support food safety and quality programs in your area of focus.
• Support product release activities for your area of focus.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior FSQA staff, providing backup support and fostering team development.
• Area of Focus:
  Government Contracts
  • Lead QA involvement in pre‑solicitation reviews and specification evaluations to identify and mitigate potential food safety and quality compliance gaps.
  • Review existing government contracts and product specifications, recommending revisions or clarifications to ensure consistent delivery of high‑quality, compliant products.
  • Partner with Legal, Finance, and Supply Chain in the cross‑functional contract review process, providing QA insight on feasibility, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation.
  • Communicate new contract specifications across QA and relevant departments to ensure alignment with operational and compliance requirements.
  • Serve as a subject‑matter expert in customer‑facing engagements, influencing contract language and specifications to enhance product defensibility, manufacturability, and adherence to evolving food safety and quality standards.
  • Support the development and preparation of Engineering Support Activity (ESA) requests by providing QA insights to clarify or update product specifications.
  • Develop and maintain standardized processes documenting QA requirements, product specifications, testing plans, and contract‑critical information to guide teams from product development through contract execution.

• Minimum of six (6) years of experience in food safety and quality assurance with a Bachelor’s Degree in food science or related field.
• HAACP and PCQI certification required.
• Strong knowledge of FDA and USDA regulatory compliance, food processing procedures, and GMPs highly desired.
• Experience working with government contracts preferred.
• Proven ability to conduct root cause analyses and risk assessments.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications and comfortable using…