Profile Food Safety & Quality Assurance NSIS Technologist

Role Overview

As a valued member of the Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FS/QA) team, you’ll play a key role in maintaining the highest standards of food safety by conducting routine sanitation checks and ensuring that HACCP and USDA regulations are consistently followed. Your work directly impacts the safe delivery of top‑quality products from Smithfield, Eckrich, and Nathan’s Famous to customers and consumers.

In this position you will perform NSIS procedures, conduct inspections of live hogs, heads, carcasses, and viscera, and identify and control potential food safety hazards throughout processing.

• Recognize and identify diseases, consumer concerns, and contamination in pork/swine, ensuring compliance with Federal Regulations, Directives, and Guidelines.
• Ensure products meet RTC pork definitions, communicate with helpers to use the correct tags/markings, and verify inspection documentation with USDA officials and Plant Management.
• Collaborate with other departments to implement procedure changes, address non‑compliance issues, and apply technical knowledge to prevent and resolve product/process failures.
• Interpret customer specifications, make subjective quality decisions (appearance, texture, etc.), and continuously improve product quality through process improvements.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED). Internal candidates with 4+ years of experience may be exempt from the educational requirement.
• Ability to read and write in English and complete required forms.
• Ability to follow written and verbal directions, create and interpret technical documents, use monitoring equipment, and work with software such as spreadsheets, presentations, and word processing.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for reporting and addressing inquiries from customers or regulatory agencies.
• Decision‑making, problem‑solving, and collaborative work skills in a fast‑paced environment.
• Preferred: 2+ years of experience in harvest processing, USDA inspection, or FS/QA.
• Preferred:
  Bilingual skills.
• Strong understanding of food science, meat processing, and USDA regulations.

Plant setting including wet or humid conditions, extreme cold and heat, moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals. Ability to lift or move up to 50 pounds, perform repetitive tasks, stand for prolonged periods, and use fine motor skills. Exposure to temperatures from below 40°F to above 90°F. Light to moderate noise with occasional loud levels.

Medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, and wellness programs. Be Well programs for weight loss, mental health, cancer, diabetes, smoking cessation, and more. Training and professional development opportunities including Linked In Learning and tuition assistance.

Relocation package available.

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non‑job characteristic as directed by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call 757‑357‑1595.