Quality Assurance Technician-1st Shift

SIGN ON BONUS: $1,500

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Mrs. Gerry’s was founded in 1973 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Since then, the company has expanded in every way! Mrs. Gerry’s offers 120 different products including pasta salads, coleslaws, salad kits, specialty salads, and sides, including the popular Premium Mashed Potatoes that were introduced in 2005 and, of course, the recipe that started it all – Mrs. Gerry’s Original Potato Salad. Today, Mrs. Gerry’s Salads and Mashed Potatoes are sold coast to coast. In 2020, Mrs. Gerry’s was purchased by Sequel Holdings, LLC. Sequel’s deep industry experience and strategic planning paired with Mrs. Gerry’s ongoing commitment to their employees and the community, ensure long-term value and growth for years to come.

Title: Quality Assurance Technician – 1st shift

Department: Quality Assurance

Reports To: Quality Assurance Supervisor

Wage Range: $20.00-$23.00

Sign on Bonus: $1,500

Days: Monday through Friday

Hours: 6:00 AM – varying end time

BENEFITS

• Health Insurance
• Virtual Primary Care
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Dental
• Vision
• Short and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Critical Illness
• Hospital
• Accidental Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and dependents
• Basic $25,000 Term Life Insurance policy. This is paid 100% by Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, LLC for each permanent full-time employee.
• 401(K)

SUMMARY

The Quality Assurance Technician will help develop and maintain Quality Assurance procedures, a HACCP plan, and product quality and wholesomeness, while adhering to specifications.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Know and follow HACCP and SQF programs.
• Know and follow all Food Safety procedures.
• Follow all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Assist Quality Assurance function of business by assuring that process, product, and environment will be sanitary, wholesome, and consistent in quality.
• Check all incoming ingredients for ingredient declaration, and record date received, lot number, code date, condition, temperature, etc.
• Record cooler/freezer temperatures every 2 times a day. Report problems to the Q.A. Supervisor.
• Sticker and inspect all incoming plastic packaging.
• Cabbage quality control tests. Record temperature and condition of cabbage throughout the truck load. Inspect for pest infestation.
• Assist with various duties as needed in conjunction with Research and Development.

QUALITY ASSURANCE DUTIES (In conjunction w/Quality Assurance Supervisor)

• Monitor production personnel for adherence to hygiene and sanitation rules. Make sure finished products have proper code date, recipes are being followed, ingredients are at proper temperature, ingredients are received in proper condition, etc.

• Check working of sanitizers in each department each morning.
• Monitor quality of potatoes/cabbage as it is processed.
• Monitor processing of volume and private label items as necessary.
• Visit each department throughout production checking for proper procedures, good hygiene, consistent products, and proper code dates.
• Visit suppliers, etc. as necessary for quality audits and / or product education.

• Assist with plant inspections by USDA, Military, FDA, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and third-party audits.
• Provide follow–up support on customer complaints, such as checking retained samples and inventory product, and production records.

• Do daily periodic plant checks for proper weights including retail, private label and bulk items.
• Do routine plant inspection on rotation.
• Put out product tracking daily.
• Check in ingredients, watch for allergens, lot traceability and ingredient changes.
• Do weekly plant inspections from a building, equipment, and utensil perspective.
• Be part of the Food Safety Committee when needed.
• Do the daily pre-op thermometer checks.
• Do the daily scale checks.
• Perform monthly inspection of the facility for glass and glasslike substances.
• Weekly HACCP filing.
• Product labels and code inspections throughout the day.
• Foot bath checks daily.
• Metal detector test weekly
• Lab scale test weekly
• Water test monthly
• Product temps (taken daily) for the month.
• Specific gravity test on Russet potatoes received.
• All other jobs as required.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. No prior experience or training is necessary, although it is preferred. Employee must be willing to be HACCP certified.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear and push or pull. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee will have limited lifting, must be able to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds for transport of training materials and setting up learning events. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Required to wear PPE when in production areas to ensure safe food and adhering to safety practices.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

When providing learning or walking through the plant to perform the duties of this job, the employee will be exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather); work near moving mechanical parts. The employee will be exposed to fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outdoor weather conditions when traveling between entrances; extreme cold (non-weather); extreme heat (non-weather). The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is required.

FACILITY ALERGENS

At Mrs. Gerry's, our facility may process items that contain eggs, milk, wheat, soy, fish, crustacea, and tree nuts.

EEO STATEMENT

Mrs. Gerry's is an equal opportunity employer committed to helping you do your best work. We are committed to providing these opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, pregnancy, or Veteran status.

EMPLOYEE DRUG, ALCOHOL, AND CANNABIS FREE WORKPLACE AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING POLICY

Mrs. Gerry's has a longstanding commitment to provide a safe, quality-oriented, and productive work environment. Alcohol, drug, and cannabis misuse poses a threat to the health and safety of Mrs. Gerry's employees, visitors, customers, and consumers as well as to the security of the company's equipment, vehicles, facilities, property, and products. For these reasons, Mrs. Gerry's will conduct pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident/incident drug screens.

Pre-employment drug testing and background screen is required.