QC Lead - 1st Shift

Job Description

Pay: $25.00 - $28.00 per hour

Job description:

Job Summary:

The Quality Lead is responsible for providing day-to-day leadership and technical support for Quality Control activities within the manufacturing facility. This position serves as a primary quality resource on the production floor, helping ensure that products, processes, and employees consistently meet company quality and food safety standards as well as applicable SQF, USDA, GMP, HACCP, and regulatory requirements.

The Quality Lead performs hands-on quality inspections and testing while also coordinating the activities of Quality Control Technicians during the assigned shift. The position works closely with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Quality leadership to identify and address food safety and quality concerns, investigate non-conformances, ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken, and maintain accurate documentation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Quality Leadership and Shift Support

· Provide day-to-day direction, support, and guidance to Quality Control Technicians on the assigned shift.

· Coordinate QC activities and assignments to ensure appropriate quality coverage throughout production.

· Serve as the primary Quality point of contact on the production floor during the assigned shift.

· Provide guidance to QC Technicians regarding inspections, testing procedures, documentation, product holds, and quality requirements.

· Communicate significant food safety, regulatory, or product quality concerns promptly to Quality Management and Operations leadership.

· Assist with shift handoffs to ensure open quality issues, product holds, corrective actions, and other concerns are clearly communicated.

· Help reinforce accountability for compliance with quality, food safety, GMP, and sanitation requirements.

Quality Control Monitoring

· Perform and oversee inspections and testing of raw materials, in-process products, packaging materials, and finished goods.

· Monitor production processes and verify that required quality and food safety checks are completed accurately and at the appropriate frequency.

· Conduct microbiological, chemical, physical, sensory, and other product testing as required.

· Verify product specifications, including weight, appearance, temperature, packaging, labeling, coding, and other established quality attributes.

· Ensure products meet established company, customer, SQF, USDA, and regulatory requirements before release.

· Identify conditions that could negatively affect product quality or food safety and initiate appropriate escalation.

Documentation and Reporting

· Review Quality Control records for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established procedures.

· Maintain accurate records of inspections, testing, monitoring activities, product holds, deviations, and corrective actions.

· Ensure required documentation is completed in a timely manner and appropriately retained.

· Report quality trends, recurring issues, non-conformances, and significant findings to Quality Management.

· Assist with preparation and organization of documentation for internal, customer, SQF, USDA, and other regulatory audits.

Non-Conformance and Corrective Action

· Identify, document, and escalate product or process deviations and non-conformances.

· Initiate or assist with product holds when materials or products do not meet established requirements.

· Support investigations into food safety, quality, packaging, labeling, and process-related issues.

· Work with Quality and Operations teams to identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions.

· Verify corrective actions are completed and effective.

· Provide timely feedback to Production leadership regarding quality concerns and required corrective measures.

· Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance

· Ensure Quality Control activities are performed in accordance with SQF, USDA, HACCP, GMP, company policies, customer requirements, and other applicable regulations.

· Support the facility’s SQF certification and food safety programs.

· Monitor compliance with GMPs and other food safety practices throughout the facility.

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