Quality Control Inspector (Produce Warehouse)

Quality Control Inspector (Produce Warehouse)

Position Summary

The QC Inspector makes sure the right product quality is adequately paired by customer. This is done by conducting product inspections, communicating findings to the required parties, and by physically staging product by order, accurately and on time. The position requires an understanding of USDA grading standards and familiarity with retail and foodservice customer specifications. The position holder should be communicative and knowledgeable about product quality, as well as consistent and methodical in their inspection approach.

This position requires the position holder to drive a company or a personal vehicle to scout and inspect fresh produce at various cold storage facilities. For this reason, the QC Inspector must undergo and pass a motor vehicle history check and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence. The position holder will be unable to perform driving responsibilities until clearance has been given by management to do so.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education & Experience
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Prior experience working in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry preferred
• Knowledge of produce grades and standards preferred
• Experience in a quality control or inspector capacity preferred
• Skills & Characteristics
• Convey professional etiquette when dealing with stakeholders (e.g. staff, customers, suppliers)
• Consistent, dependable, and communicative
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) strongly preferred
• A team player
• Technology
• Proficient with use of MS office, tablets or personal computers
• Working knowledge of Famous Software preferred but not required
• Other
• Must be able to work in the U.S.
• Must pass a motor vehicle history check and maintain a valid driver's license
• Able to work extended hours, including weekends, on an alternating schedule
• Stand, bend and walk throughout the day, sometimes for extended periods
• Able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Able to work in a cold environment

Key Accountabilities

Quality Control

• Coordinate with the Inventory Control Manager and others on inspection needs and priorities.
• Responsible for selection and setting up of QC samples.
• Conduct on-site, fresh product inspections based on USDA grading standards and determine whether product meets of fails to meet grade requirements.
• Conduct QC inspections for retail order allocations (special orders)
• Flag inventory with questionable quality and/or condition and communicate or report any issues and concerns to buyers, sales team, and others as needed.
• Generate inspection reports following company procedures, including pictures of product, pallets, temperatures, product pressures and/or brix scores, as applicable.
• Visit cold storage and packing facilities to inspect product, providing timely and accurate sourcing information to the sales and sourcing department and others as needed.
• Develop good rapport with warehouse and dispatch staff at supplier locations.
• Evaluate if product needs to be reworked, returned to shipper and/or disposed and communicate said findings to Sales, Inventory Control Manager, and others.
• Liaise between other QC Technicians, Sales, Sourcing, and others as needed on product rework (e.g. restacking, repacking, conditioning) issues.
• Responsible for care, sanitation, and calibration of assigned tools and resources (e.g. refractometers, thermometers, other tools)
• Support the Inventory Control Manager with PTI label printing and stickering
• Stay on top of customer QC requirements
• Develop understanding of USDA grades and standards by commodity
• Coordinate with the Sr. Vice President of Global Operations (Dr. Campbell) on matters relating to mango quality and condition.
• Conduct and document inspections of product packaging with photos, noting where issues such as leaning or broken pallets, crushed boxes, or other non-conformances (e.g. staples, dinginess, signs of pests, etc.) are present, and communicate such results to the Inventory Control Manager.
• Support and cross train with others as needed.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Participate in meetings, undergo training, and follow food safety and food security SOPs.
• Responsible for assigned FS logs and supporting with GMP enforcement efforts.

About Us

We are a growing, fast-paced, and family-owned company with roots in the fresh produce industry spanning multiple generations. We form part of a network of companies with year-long growing and shipping operations throughout the U.S., Mexico, and beyond. We also believe our strong supply chain is testament of our team and guiding principles, which are at the forefront of how we operate.