Assistant Food Safety & QA Manager

Assistant Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager

When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our core four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact.

Are you ready to lead with purpose and make a real difference in food safety and quality? As the Assistant Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager, you'll play a key role in ensuring our products meet the highest standards of safety and quality. You'll oversee sanitation checks, ensure compliance to HACCP and USDA regulations, and use your technical expertise to track product flow and implement preventive and corrective actions when needed.

Your work will directly impact our ability to deliver safe, delicious products to customers and consumers every day.

In this role, you will work closely with both plant and corporate FS/QA leaders, gaining valuable experience in implementing food safety procedures and maintaining compliance with USDA and FDA standards. This is a great opportunity to grow your knowledge, contribute to a collaborative team, and make a meaningful impact in a fast-paced, high-quality food production environment. If you're detail-oriented, proactive, and ready to be part of something bigger, we'd love to have you on board.

• Quality & Food Safety Compliance:
  You ensure all food safety, quality, and regulatory programs are being followed and documented properly—providing the proof needed to show we're producing safe, wholesome products. You verify USDA compliance through sound, science-based decisions, lead investigations into product issues, take corrective actions, and support audits and USDA system assessments.
• Continuous Improvement & Risk Prevention:
  You proactively work with FSQA and Operations teams to prevent HACCP, SSOP, and product/process failures. Through training, quality planning, and strong process controls, you help drive continuous improvement and ensure product consistency and safety.
• Process Control & Problem Solving:
  You assess raw materials, conduct production tests, collect and analyze data, and troubleshoot issues with upstream processes. You collaborate with multiple departments to address process control needs and optimize yield, safety, and quality.
• Sanitation Oversight & Micro Response:
  You manage the sanitation program, including writing regulatory documents, verifying sanitation effectiveness through micro sampling, and responding to negative shelf-life or micro data. You lead GMP and sanitation audits, train staff, and work closely with USDA to ensure high sanitation standards.
• SQF & Team Leadership:
  You maintain and reassess the SQF Quality Plan, ensuring compliance with all relevant sections and adapting to changes in production. You communicate system updates, manage FSQA personnel performance and schedules, and ensure your team supports the ongoing integrity of the SQF system.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 3+ years of relevant experience in the food industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience acting as a lead by providing training, coaching or mentoring to less experienced staff or through managing a process or project.
• Must have the ability to complete required applicable forms in English, which requires the ability to read and write in English.
• Technical Knowledge and Regulatory Compliance:
  Possesses hands-on experience with microbiological testing of meat and poultry products, along with a solid understanding of foodborne pathogens, microbiological and limited chemistry testing. Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of USDA, FSIS, HACCP, and SSOP requirements, and familiarity with QMS systems, SAP, and various database and inventory software tools.
• Communic…