Lab Quality Technician

Lab Quality Technician

The Lab Quality Technician performs chemical and physical analyses on ingredients, work-in-progress materials, and finished goods in an accurate and timely manner. This role provides technical analytical support to internal departments and manufacturing locations, including gluten and other allergen testing, and plays a key part in ensuring product quality and food safety. The technician operates and maintains laboratory equipment, prepares samples for third-party testing, and manages documentation related to suppliers, ingredients, and packaging to support quality and compliance standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform chemical and physical analyses on ingredients, work-in-progress materials, and finished goods accurately and within required time frames.
• Provide technical analytical support to other departments and manufacturing locations, including gluten and other allergen testing.
• Calculate, evaluate, and verify test results for accuracy, initiating retests as needed to confirm findings.
• Record test results on a daily basis in accordance with laboratory and quality control procedures.
• Prepare samples for analysis at third-party laboratories, ensuring proper handling, labeling, and documentation.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain laboratory equipment used for analyses, following established procedures.
• Document all quality control activities, including equipment calibrations, maintenance, and testing performed.
• Maintain a safe and clean working environment by complying with all procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Complete documentation required for the manufacturing location, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Review supplier documentation to assess compliance with quality and food safety requirements.
• Coordinate supplier approvals to determine whether proposed suppliers meet established food quality and safety standards.
• Manage the addition and removal of suppliers as appropriate based on quality and compliance criteria.
• Manage supplier-level documentation, including maintaining up-to-date records and tracking changes.
• Manage ingredient-level and package-level documentation to support quality assurance and traceability.
• Respond to supplier questions as needed, providing clear information related to quality, specifications, and documentation.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Food Science, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• At least 1 year of related experience in a laboratory, food quality, or quality assurance environment.
• Hands-on experience with chemical and physical testing methods used in food or ingredient analysis.
• Ability to perform gluten and other allergen testing in accordance with established procedures.
• Proficiency in operating, calibrating, and maintaining laboratory equipment used for analytical testing.
• Strong understanding of food quality, food safety, and quality control principles.
• Experience working in food manufacturing or a similar production-focused environment.
• Ability to accurately calculate, interpret, and evaluate test results and initiate retests when necessary.
• Competence in documenting quality control activities, test results, calibrations, and maintenance in a clear and organized manner.
• Knowledge of microbiology and food science concepts relevant to product quality and safety.
• Familiarity with SQF or similar food safety and quality management systems.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills for managing supplier, ingredient, and packaging documentation.
• Ability to comply with laboratory safety procedures, rules, and regulations to maintain a safe and clean work environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Background in chemistry, biology, food science, or life sciences with practical laboratory experience.
• Experience in food manufacturing quality assurance or quality control functions.
• Understanding of food quality standards and regulatory requirements in a manufacturing setting.
• Ability to review and interpret supplier documentation related to quality and food safety.
• Experience coordinating supplier approvals and managing supplier relationships from a quality perspective.
• Skill in managing documentation at supplier, ingredient, and packaging levels to support audits and compliance.
• Strong communication skills to respond effectively to supplier questions and collaborate with internal teams.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and thoroughness in testing and documentation.

Work Environment

This role operates in a fast-paced laboratory and food manufacturing environment with standard weekday hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including a 30-minute lunch break. The dress code is casual, with steel-toed shoes required when working on or visiting the production floor. The position involves regular use of laboratory equipment for chemical, physical, and allergen testing, as well as computer-based documentation and communication.

The work setting emphasizes safety, cleanliness, and adherence to procedures, rules,…