Quality Assurance Tech

Job Description: The Quality Assurance Tech will fully support the QA supervisor and Operations Management and assist with SQF Program maintenance.

Our Story: Free2b Foods is more than just our name. It is our delicious way of life. We are committed to crafting delicious snacking solutions free from common allergens, sourcing the highest quality ingredients. Additionally, our snacks are free from artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, and hydrogenated oils because food should be fun, delicious, safe, and compassionate. We believe everyone deserves to eat fearlessly and live brilliantly. Now you are free to enjoy and free to share with everyone!

We offer:

• Competitive pay scale.
• Health Benefits
• Dental Benefits
• Vision Benefits
• Paid holidays.
• Paid Time off.
• Paid Sick Leave
• Company paid Short Term Disability.
• Flexible schedule to support people with families.

Essential Functions:

• Engage with Operations and communicates with Line Leads and Supervisors to prevent and help resolve any quality issues on the production floor.
• Conduct monitoring and verification activities in accordance with the HACCP plan (including temperature checks and metal detector checks).
• Perform quality checks, including, but not limited to, label inspections, Lot code inspections, and net weight checks.
• Support in Sensory Analysis of Finished Product
• Verify equipment calibration (thermometers, scales).
• Verify specifications for finished products and incoming raw ingredients.
• Follow the holding protocol for any nonconforming ingredients and finished goods.
• Verify specifications and validation for finished product and ingredients.
• Perform environmental swabbing.
• Send out Quality Samples to third-party laboratories for analysis. Stop production line if the product doesn’t meet quality standards.
• Communicate any quality issues to Supervisors and Production and Facilities Managers.
• Assist in Internal Auditing Activities (Glass and Brittle Plastics, GMP, Mock Recall
• Perform verification and validation activities to support and drive continuous improvement of the internal food safety programs.
• Assists with customer complaint investigation and manages nonconforming in-process and finished products.

• Request supplier documentation and keep the document current.

• Ensure quality standards by auditing production.

• Comply with Safe Quality Food (SQF) Standards for Manufacturing

• Assist in production line activities as needed.
• Collect and analyze samples according to Quality Assurance Procedures at a specified frequency, ensuring results are within specified ranges and completed/recorded in a timely manner.

• Assists in special projects as needed.

Competencies

• Excellent critical thinking and time management skills.
• Knowledge and understanding and/or ability to learn Food Safety regulations, FDA Regulations, FSMA, and industry and market trends.
• Good people skills
• Able to work humbly with respect for people from diverse cultures/languages.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal, with various stakeholders.
• Effectively organize, manage, and execute numerous work tasks of a diverse nature.
• Strong Computer Skills or learning ability (MS Office, Cloud-based data management systems, cloud-based quality management systems).
• High sense of urgency and ability to work self-directed and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to work occasional overtime and be willing to have a flexible schedule.
• Able to work late hours if needed in an emergency.
• A communication and work style consistent with Free2b Guiding Principles.
• Loves the details and cares about getting them right every time.
• Excellent teamwork skills and a commitment to work to build great work relationships.
• Flexible and willing to adjust as needed.
• Willing to take on additional responsibilities and demonstrate a positive work attitude.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including proactive root cause identification and resolution.
• Be able to take on projects with minimum supervision and complete tasks proficiently.
• High interest in learning new things or how to do familiar things better.
• Willing to get through the learning phase.
• Welcomes feedback and often seeks feedback to improve performance.
• Work to resolve conflicts or challenges quickly.
• Demonstrates pride in work accuracy and organization and thrives in a production environment.
• Responsible and dependable

Supervisory ResponsibilityThis position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Work EnvironmentThe work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing this job's essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical DemandsThe physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and taste or smell. The employee must frequently stand, walk, talk, and hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and peripheral vision.

TravelThis position will be in Lawrence, KS. There will be no travel required.

Education and Previous Work ExperienceHighschool diploma/GED. 1 years' work experience in quality, production, food, manufacturing, or related environment.

On-the-Job Training:Workplace Orientation, Workplace Safety, Food Safety, GMP Training, Allergen Control Training, Food Fraud Training, OSHA Training, SQF Internal Auditing Training

Back-Up Roles: Production

Team: Quality Assurance, Operations, Production, and Food Safety.

Other DutiesPlease note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Since our inception, we have committed to building our business with the greater good in mind. We want to reiterate in the strongest terms our commitment to inclusivity and diversity and our ongoing determination to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for our employees regardless of age, color, disability, neurodiversity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship, veteran status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We want our employees to feel valued, appreciated, and free to be themselves at work. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better results, but more importantly, creating an environment where everyone from any background can do their best work is the right thing to do. As we continue to craft our free-from products, join us in encouraging, supporting, and celebrating diversity to ensure our workplace is free from exclusion.