Factory Chemist

Supervises factory laboratory operations to provide accurate and pertinent chemical analyses and support information for in-process and final quality and safety verification. Provides technical guidance and direction in internal audits, external audits, and regulatory compliance support to facility personnel.

The Factory Chemist reports directly to the Factory Manager, as does the Production Superintendent, Maintenance Superintendent, Environmental Compliance Supervisor, Engineering Superintendent, and Factory Office Coordinator.

The Factory Chemist also has a dotted line reporting relationship to the corporate Quality Assurance Manager. A Factory Chemist is located at each of the five processing facilities, and reporting to the incumbent are 15 to 20 lab staff who work both scheduled rotating shifts and day shifts.

The Factory Chemist completes the following essential functions within established department and company policies, procedures, deadlines, and budget constraints.

• Lead and promote a positive workplace culture through Company’s values – Safety, Integrity, Quality, Teamwork and Accountability.
• Provides support on process variation investigation. Assists facility personnel in the identification of process problems, gathering and analyzing data, and formulating corrective action.
• Monitors closely the analytical procedures, results from the laboratory, and online measurement systems to ensure product specifications are met on an ongoing basis, as well as providing process audit and control information. Acts as a resource in statistical process control system design.
• The Factory Chemist supervises laboratory operations within established parameters and ensures the accuracy of analytical tests and data prepared by assigned staff. This position ensures the validity of laboratory data and technical process accounting information prepared by laboratory staff and reviews resulting reports for accuracy and reasonableness. Maintains and assures compliance with company standard laboratory analysis procedures providing an ongoing review to assure precision and accuracy of procedures, including support of all satellite labs in the facility.
• Determines variability in procedures, solicits input for continuous improvement, and provides recommendations to the Quality Assurance Manager for changes in standards and procedures as required.
• The incumbent provides technical process accounting, including beet weight and sugar content of beets entering the factory, production, and inventories of sugar and by-products, and material used in processing. The accuracy of technical accounting is critical to the validity of forecasting the beet payment, as well as determining processing efficiencies.
• Ensures laboratory staff provides first aid in the absence of the Occupational Health Nurse.

Food Safety/Food Quality

• Leads the Product Safety Team
• Maintains the document control processes for the following:
• HACCP, FQP and SQF,
• Document Control Register,
• Food/feed safety/quality records for packaging and warehouse,
• Audits, inspections, and deviation reports
• Master Sanitation Records.
• Maintains certifications for HACCP and facility SQF Practitioner with the responsibility and authority to lead the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the Safe, Quality Food System, Food Safety Fundamentals, Food Safety Plan, and the Food Quality Plan. This includes the responsibility to take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the SQF System. This position communicates to relevant personnel all information essential to ensure the effective implementation and maintenance of the SQF System.
• Monitors quality control standards and directs quality assurance activities to ensure compliance to specifications. Identifies current and potential problem areas and safeguards against product degradation.
• Provides auditing in the following areas to ensure compliance with quality and lab policies and procedures:
• Lot code compliance,
• HACCP,
• Metals/Glass/Hard Plastics,
• Weight Control
• GMP Inspections and Internal Auditing
• Determines if final products are out of specification from analyses of the sugar, pulp, and molasses…