Quality Technician

Job Objective

Quality is an intricate part of Straus Family Creamery’s mission. The Quality Assurance Technician is responsible for safeguarding all product quality and safety while ensuring adherence to Company and regulatory standards. The QAT ensures that the production and distribution of products always meets or exceeds all quality standards and that all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are consistently followed.

• Performs audits of all areas, production and non-production
• Conduct approval of pre-startup activities including line/room clearance, and initial equipment checks
• Consistently reviews in-process batch documentation to ensure real-time compliance to product specifications, good documentation practices, company SOP's and cGMP's
• Ensure materials are tested according to predefined criteria and meet requirements
• Assist with Sensory Evaluation of manufactured and in process item, as requested or needed
• Environmental Management (EM) program responsibilities including but not limited to: swabbing, pre-operational inspection and investigational activities
• Conduct daily line tours and filler line audits to ensure machine compliance with site quality standards. Audits should encompass various areas including startup, changeover, tank change, intervention and normal production where technician will evaluate potential risks to product quality and support resolution of problems
• Perform in-process testing verifications of manufacturing/packaging data to confirm consistency in testing methodology and test data
• Perform during and after sanitation inspections and approval to ensure equipment and environment conforms to site quality standards. That includes visual inspections for cleanliness, ATP swabbing, Microbial swabs, Allergen swabs
• Submit daily Analytical and Micro samples to QC for appropriate testing
• Provide continuous and consistent quality leadership to production operators, looking for ways to improve product quality and increase technician understanding of key quality criteria and their impact on it; discusses errors directly with line personnel so corrections can be made, if required
• Conduct timely food safety evaluations and dispositions of product, escalating as necessary
• Verify physical values on equipment and confirms appropriate conditions for operations during use
• Involve other departments, when appropriate, for timely response to observation of failure to meet expectations/standards
• Place material on hold if it does not meet requirements
• Assist with Positive Release Program and PCQI reviews
• Update Glass and Brittle Plastic inspections foreign material databases (in-house and consumer)
• Comply with all Company policies communicated through your Employee Manual, trainings, notice boards or other postings, or by a member of management
• Ensures that chemical supplies for Quality testing, environmental and plating are properly used and inventoried to guarantee availability
• Assist with all local, state, customer/third party, and federal audits, dairy partner inspections, organic and kosher/certifications inspections, and non-GMO verification
• Train others in Quality related practices and any other duties assigned by Supervisor
• Daily report on out of spec results
• Write daily reports on out-of-spec materials and operating conditions
• Participate in weekly team meetings, biweekly huddles, safety meetings and other Company meetings as requested
• Ensure work is produced in the most sustainable manner

• Ensure areas of responsibility are kept neat and clean, communicating any safety hazards or non-compliance issues immediately to a member of management
• Must comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and any/all established processes , whether established by their manager, by the company or by law as well as assist with the communication, training, and enforcement of these as they pertain to food safety and quality
• Must consistently work in a safe manner and comply with all health, safety, and security requirements that are communicated to you, whether established by the company, Safety Manager,…