Quality Assurance Scientist/Sanitization Engineer

First Quality was founded in 1989 and, in nearly three decades, has grown to be a global privately held company with over 4,000 employees. Its corporate offices are located in Great Neck, New York, with manufacturing facilities and offices in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, and Canada. First Quality is a diversified family of companies manufacturing consumer products ranging from Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, feminine care, and baby care), Tissue (bath and towel), and Industrial (print and packaging materials), serving institutional and retail markets throughout the world. First Quality focuses on private label and branded product lines.

Our core business philosophy is built on a proud culture driven by safety and quality, respect, humility, integrity, customer focus, and teamwork. With leading edge manufacturing technologies and processes and visionary leadership, First Quality is positioned to continue significant growth in the coming years. We are seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Scientist/Sanitization Engineer for our Nutek Disposables facility located in McElhattan, PA.

This position is responsible for the facility cleaning and sanitization program, the microbial risk mitigation program and process water monitoring and improvement. This individual acts as the subject matter expert on the cleaning and sanitization practices as well as the potential microbial risks for the facility.

Principal Accountabilities/ Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain and monitor cleaning and sanitization program.
• Function as the plant sanitarian/hygienist.
• Monitor the cleaning and sanitization activities as they occur to provide improvements and ensure procedures are followed. Notify supervisor of any microbial risks identified during cleaning and sanitization.
• Develop microbial risk program and mitigation strategies. Communicate to the Quality Manager and the Operations team information regarding high risks and action to be taken to resolve.
• Create, update, or modify procedures to reflect new learning’s or best practices.
• Review swabbing results and micro limits data to identify trends and investigate out of specification or above action limit situations.
• Review, evaluate, and improve microbiology methods
• Troubleshoot customer complaints to determine root cause and implement corrective actions to prevent reoccurrence.
• Train Quality and Operational personnel on the cleaning and sanitization procedures and hygienic practices.
• Provide technical support related to the following areas: cleaning and sanitization, microbial risk areas, process water health, design of experiment, quality improvements, and audits.
• Preform hygienic audits of the facility.
• Collaborate with suppliers to support efforts.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with multiple departments including engineering, production, product development, and regulatory affairs, aligning strategies and ensuring seamless execution to achieve business goals.
• Provide and implement recommendations for cleaning and sanitization practices.
• Ensure that all cleaning and sanitization procedures are followed and strictly adhered to.
• Maintain professional credentials and remain knowledgeable on best practices.
• Communicate project status to key stakeholders.
• Develop and support operational activities including validations and development activities.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Education and experience requirements:

• BS degree in an Biology, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering, Food Science or equivalent.
• 5 plus years of hands on manufacturing experience (preference to a food plant).
• Experienced sanitarian (cleaning and sanitizing practices).
• HACCP experience and FDA food experience preferred.
• GMP hygienic auditing experience preferred.
• GMP compliance experience preferred.
• Microbiology background

Excellent compensation and benefit package!

For immediate and confidential consideration, please visit our website at www.firstquality.com & click on the Join Us Tab!

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.

First Quality is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.