QARM Technician - 1st Shift

Quality And Food Safety Technician

At Amy's Kitchen, we're more than just a food company- we're a family-owned, proudly independent organic, and vegetarian food company on a mission. As a Certified B Corporation®, our purpose is clear: to make it simple and enjoyable for everyone to eat well.

We're committed to crafting authentic, mouthwatering dishes using only the finest organic ingredients sourced with care. From farm to table, we ensure top-notch quality in every bite, making healthy eating accessible and convenient for all. At Amy's, we're not just serving meals; we're serving up a taste of goodness, one delicious dish at a time.

The QARM Technician works in the Quality and Food Safety department and completes quality checks to ensure inbound raw materials meet predefined requirements. Assesses lab equipment conditions to ensure they meet specified requirements for conducting evaluations. Clearly communicates raw material issues across departments (Food Safety, Sensory, Production, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Supplier Quality, Planning, and Sourcing). Works closely with the entire Quality and Food Safety team to ensure consistent evaluations and quality expectations are met.

In their absence, the QARM Coordinator can cover their duties and responsibilities to Food Safety.

The essential duties and responsibilities may include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Conduct required tests on incoming raw materials in accordance with raw material sampling and inspecting procedures:
• Chemical and physical analysis: temperature, pH, brix, moisture, viscosity, particle size distribution by using a variety of laboratory equipment and measuring devices
• Sensory analysis: flavor, texture, color, odor compared to a reference or standard. Requires stove top cooking and preparation
• Visual inspection: sorting for foreign material, defects/blemishes, size and color variances, infestations or other gross contamination, occasional use of microscope
• Identify variances from expectations/standards and communicate these to the supervisor and any relevant departments/parties per procedure.
• Monitor physical values on lab equipment and confirm appropriate conditions for operation including verification and calibration of the equipment.
• Perform Preventive Controls monitoring as needed.
• Use Amy's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to input required evaluation results and to accurately manage raw material lot statuses for all Amy's inventory organizations;
  Required to identify raw material inventory lots and ensure that they are on the appropriate inventory status.
• Use ERP system along with other applicable systems to verify supplier lot code accuracy for company traceability requirements.
• Use Amy's Business Intelligent (BI) system to verify that all ingredients raw material evaluations have been completed on inter-organization transfers.
• Place raw materials on hold when necessary and accurately communicate the reasoning using specification language and photos.
• Communicate reconditioning requirements to the manufacturing teams when necessary
• Verify required Certificates of Analysis (COA) (physical and chemical) and other required records for raw materials have been received for all applicable lots.
• Access Amy's raw material specifications, applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Work Instructions in Amy's document control system.
• Verify all required pallet labels are present and accurate for all raw material lots and collaborate with the appropriate teams to ensure that incorrect information is corrected.
• Initiate item reclassifications and Lot Translations when necessary.
• Follow-up on the daily truck schedule to ensure all raw materials receipts are inspected within the required time frame.
• Assist with solutions to problems encountered on the dock during receiving or storage.
• Evaluate and extend the shelf life of expiring raw material inventory.
• Participate in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) audits such as brittle glass/plastic and/or environmental monitoring of warehouse receiving and storage areas

It is the responsibility of all employees to uphold the mission of the Amy's Food Safety and Quality Policy. This includes following all Food Safety and Sustainability programs and participating in all required training.

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

• Communicativeness – Recognize the essential value of continuous information exchange and the competitive advantage it brings; actively seek information from a variety of sources and disseminate it in a variety of ways; use modern technologies to access and circulate information, even across great distances; take responsibility for ensuring that their colleagues have the current and accurate information needed for success.
• Drive & Energy – Ambitious and passionate about their role in the organization; have the stamina and endurance to handle the substantial workload present in today's organizations; know that a healthy work/life balance is important to sustained…