Pre-Op Quality Assurance Technician - Night Shift

Location: Waterloo

Role:Actively supports QA, operations, and sanitation team, performs quality and food safety verifications of paperwork and products. Assists with the enforcement of food safety and quality programs to all departments. Ensures adherence to required food safety laws, regulations, company and customer policies and procedures. Has the authority to suspend operation when serious food safety and quality risks are identified.
SHIFT TIME: 2:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Responsibilities:

Actively participate in the implementation and review of CCP, HACCP and BRC Systems (GMPs, Prerequisite Programs, Policies, SOPs, etc.) as per QA management team

Train, guide, and support QA verifiers with daily tasks

Applies regulation, policies and standard operating procedures regarding food safety and quality programs relating to incoming raw material, packaging and labeling inspections

Profiles and evaluates raw materials, for defects and non-conformities, to ensure food safety, quality, and customer requirements are met

Communicate with QA/production managers and supervisors for reporting non-compliances/deviations/CAPA

Ensures appropriate product holds and timely dispositions and/or releases

Daily follow up external lab micro-test results on daily swab and finished products and handle non-compliances as per HACCP plan and QA policy

Assist QA team in investigation of HACCP, and BRC non-compliance and deviations through root cause and risk analysis, and the application of corrective and preventative actions

Assists QA team and HACCP coordinator with onsite verifications, internal audits and HACCP verification tasks/reassessment

Supports QA team to ensure regulatory compliance with CFIA, GFSI, BRC and Customer requirements are met

Electronically distribute daily QA shift reports to the relevant team

Attend daily QA meetings and provide inputs for continuous improvement

Prepare all samples for Lab submission including paperwork

Review and verify daily QA and production paperwork and initiate non-compliances/deviations/CAPA as required

Identify, report and follow up to pest control and sanitation team for relevant concerns

Actively follow up daily QA forms and paper works to maintain updated versions, communicate with QA management team for necessary changes as per SOP/specifications

Identify health and safety concerns and report to the management team as required

Back up QA verifiers and/or QA supervisor in absence/vacations

Other duties as assigned

Responsibilities - Pre-Operational Activities and Sanitation Support:

Conduct daily and non-daily pre-operational inspections and releases production equipment and production rooms to operations following corporate policies, SOPs and schedules along with QA/sanitation leadership team

Work with sanitation and direct re-cleans as necessary and conduct re-inspection

Assist with the development, implementation, maintenance and verification of the sanitation manual and pre-operational activities

Ensure documentation and resolution of deviations originating from equipment teardown, sanitation and equipment re-assembly as it relates to pre-operational and sanitation activities

Actively participate in implementing GMP policy during and post sanitation shift

Actively inspect premises and equipment conditions and issue work orders for repairs

Prepare, approve, conducts swabbing and sampling as applicable to pre-operational inspection

Prepare all samples for Lab submission including paperwork

Daily calibration of thermometers and/or other tools as required

Data entry of inspection results daily into a pre-op log

Identifies trends related to pre-operational and sanitation performance, through sanitation scorecards and rewash logs, and communicating trends to management

Maintains environmental monitoring, including record completion and trending of results

Attend weekly sanitation meetings

Other duties as assigned by QA/sanitation supervisor and/or Sanitation/QA manager

Requirements:

University degree or college diploma/certification in Food science, Food/chemical engineering, Microbiology or in related discipline preferred

Preferably 1-2 years of working experience and/or strong knowledge on GMP, HACCP, Prerequisite Programs, preferably on CFIA inspected food manufacturing facility.

Working knowledge of HACCP and GFSI systems and applicable regulatory agencies

Thorough understanding of statistical process controls

Knowledge of root cause analysis investigation and resolution process

Proficient with MS Suite products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required as well as with label system software

Highly detail oriented, Ability to work effectively as a team member

Proficient with data entry, data processing and MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.)

Meets attendance/punctuality requirements

Competencies:

Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal skills

Proven ability to work effectively, prioritize multiple obligations within limited time

Adaptable to change, handles pressure well, adjusts plans to meet changing demands

Excellent…