Senior QA Technician

Join the California Dairies, Inc. (CDI) team, a farmer-owned cooperative dedicated to sustainably producing the highest quality dairy products while fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. CDI products are delivered locally and around the world.

Our state-of-the-art Extended Shelf Life (ESL) and Aseptic Ultra High Temperature (UHT) dairy bottling facility, Valley Natural Beverages, produces premium beverages in various formats, and these shelf-stable products are shipped globally.

We encourage you to be part of our team that's shaping the future of dairy, right from the heart of California!

We offer a generous total rewards package that includes: 

• Hourly Range - $34.00 - $36.00
• Work-life balance: Rotating day/night shifts (12-hour shift)
• Family medical/dental/vision
• Generous company contributions to 401k
• Relocation Assistance
• 11 Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Tuition reimbursement

Job Summary

The Senior Quality Assurance Technician will provide daily training, development, and leadership to a team of quality assurance technicians in a manner that supports meeting or exceeding plant performance objectives. The Senior Quality Assurance Technician will be a working member of this team and as such will be required to have an excellent understanding of quality audits, swabbing, coliform plating, calibrating, antibiotic testing, microbiological and other various laboratory functions. The Senior Quality Assurance Technician will support compliance in the areas of all food safety and food quality programs including: GMP, regulatory, process authority, GFSI, 3^rd party auditor, customer required, and company specific. The Senior Quality Assurance Technician will follow all safety regulations and partner with the production team members to ensure all products meet quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Ensure yours, your team members’, and all visitors’ safety by actively supporting and following all safety programs as part of a “Zero Accident” commitment.
• Ensure full compliance to all regulatory, customer, and plant quality requirements as part of a “Perfect Quality” commitment.
• “Make it Better”. Constantly look for defects and opportunities for improvement throughout all parts of the plant operation and personally lead necessary efforts to “Make it Better”.
• Bring value to the Team and strengthen the team through your job performance, treatment of your team members, and effective communication.
• Understand all performance criteria and operating results associated with your area of responsibility and constantly meet or exceed these requirements.
• Maintain Plant areas of responsibility to ensure an inspection and tour ready facility at all times.
• Actively contribute during Daily Shift/Direction Setting Meetings.
• Complete and document, quality and food safety record review
• Understand sources of waste and actively strive for “Zero Waste”.

 Essential Functions

• Lead daily direction setting meetings and shift close out meetings.
• Provide daily safety and quality training and update safety and quality alert status.
• Lead daily team operational performance reviews and identification of root cause and implementation of corrective actions as required.
• Oversee training and development of assigned team members to ensure compliance to training and development requirements.
• Perform weekly tasks which include environmental swabbing, air plates, thermometer and lab equipment calibration, and others.
• Perform noon and midnight inventory and temperature of fluid silos.
• Support monitoring wastewater, pH, EC, and COD.
• Micro plating, antibiotic confirmation testing, pH and TA testing.
• Daily send outs to Sunrise Labs and Sierra for testing.
• Pull customer samples and re-test samples.
• Clean and maintain clean lab areas.
• Complete all paperwork neatly and correctly.
• Complete all filing of documentation in an accurate and timely manner.
• Follow all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Follow all Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).
• Follow all Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Responsible for care and maintenance of company tools laboratory equipment.
• Updating quality and procedure manuals, calibrations, wastewater reports, swabbing, and air quality monitoring.
• Take inventory of lab supplies and submit orders.
• Verify product codes meet internal and customer standards.
• Follow all safety and working rules.
• Must have the ability to get along with co-workers, management personnel, customers, vendors, and employees in accordance with the company policies and working rules while ensuring a harmonious and conducive work environment.
• Maintain a positive attitude and contribute towards a quality environment.
• Excellent regular full-time attendance in support of company objectives.
• Use initiative and judgment in making decisions, keeping with California Dairies, Inc. best interests.
• Perform all other job duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

 Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Dairy Science, Food Science, Animal Science, Agriculture Science, Microbiology, or Chemistry with 3-5 years food manufacturing experience. Or associate degree with 6-7 years food manufacturing experience.
• Basic computational skills required.
• Simple math reasoning required.

 Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  The company will make reasonable accommodations that do not cause and undue hardship to the company if such accommodation enables individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

• Sitting/Standing/Walking: Sits frequently to answer calls, complete schedules/reports, fill out paperwork, answer emails, etc.
• Lifting/Carrying: Must be able to lift 65 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Pushing/Pulling:  Some pushing or pulling is required on an occasional basis.
• Bending/Stooping: Bends and stoops on an occasional basis.
• Squatting/Kneeling/Crawling: May squat or kneel on an occasional basis.
• Twisting/Turning: Assumes any combination of these positions on an occasional basis.
• Climbing/Balancing: May go up and down stairs and/or ladder on an occasional basis.
• Reaching: Reaches at or above shoulder level on an occasional basis.
• Grasping/Manipulating: Grasping and manipulating of papers, objects, and equipment will be required.  Ability to use calculator and keyboard for data input will be required on an ongoing basis.
• Traveling: Extended working hours and some domestic traveling.

Salary : $34 - $36