Quality Assurance Technician

Overview

In this role the Quality Assurance Technician works under the supervision of Quality Assurance Supervisor. The QA technician helps to verify that production activities and staff comply with Food Safety and Quality programs through on site observation, inspections and auditing. Ensuring that any deviations are documented, managed and controlled. The Quality Assurance Technician will assist in completing preoperational inspections of facilities and equipment prior to production start-up. All QA technicians are key frontline ambassadors for the Quality and Food Safety programs and play a vital role in ensuring quality and food safety requirements meet or exceed the expectations of customers, regulators and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilties:
- Complete preoperational inspections of facilities and equipment prior to production start, to ensure production is only started once requirements are met.- Complete prescribed start-up checks to ensure lines and equipment are ready for production activities.- Verify line food safety and quality parameters and ensure the products meets applicable requirements.- Perform CQP and CCP Verifications daily.- Input results of on floor checks and verification activities into Redzone Software, perform verifications of production data input into Redzone and perform partial shift signoffs daily of production data.- Learn and understand HACCP plans and prerequisite programs, and help to enforce compliance.- Perform microbiological sampling when necessary using aseptic sample collection techniques.- Collect samples of raw materials, in process products and finished products as required.- Create quality and food safety deviations when programs are not followed, follow-up to ensure deviations are closed out.- Initiate product holds when necessary to ensure customer, internal quality and food safety requirements are met. Ensure documentation is completed and products are adequately labelled and dispositioned by QA Manager or Supervisor.- Verify production and quality department documentation is complete and accurate.- Perform various HACCP and SQF related verification activities.- Participate in monthly Internal Audits of QA and Food Safety Programs.- Assist in investigation of consumer and customer complaints.- Ability to be a productive team member in both formal and informal settings.- Must be able to move from Day Shift to Afternoon Shift with adequate notice, as required by schedule- Participate in Lean Manufacturing/GPS (Guenther Productivity System) and continuous improvement activities.- Participate in developing Standard Work/ Standard Work instructions.- Ensure Process Stability to develop and engage to own your equipment and surrounding areas.- Monitor the equipment, make adjustments and perform minor maintenance tasks on their machines to improve stability and continuously improve their systems.- Whenever Food Safety & Quality concerns are noted, the employees are empowered to stop the production lines to help resolve the problem and to ensure food produced is of highest safety & quality standard.- Perform all the duties assigned to you by your supervisors or Manager.

Knowledge and Skills Required:
- University or college education in a Science related discipline, preferably Food Science, Food Safety or Food Quality.- Basic knowledge of food safety and quality as it relates to food production- Ability to learn and absorb new concepts and utilize them effectively- Self-Starter that can work independently and with other QA team members.- Good interpersonal and problem solving skills.-
- Very good oral and written communication skills, with ability to explain concepts to people- Confident Individual that is able to proactively interpret what they have been asked and told and implement it.

Working Conditions- Periodic exposure to temperatures noticeably below room temperature (between 5 to 10 °C).- Periodic exposure to humid and warm environments during preoperational inspection activities.- Regular exposure to food products and food allergens.- Regular exposure to stress caused by complex and time sensitive deadlines.- Approximately 75 % of the shift is spent on the production floor, either standing or walking- Periodic exposure to freezer temperatures (-18°C)- Regular exposure to machine noise (PPE provided by the company)

Working conditions amid Covid-19 pandemic- Temperature monitoring scan upon arrival.- Physical spacing barricades in work rooms to aid with social distancing.- Personal protective equipment (PPE’s) - safety goggles, face masks, face shields provided to all employees.- Wash and sanitize the entire plant on a daily basis- Mandatory to wash and sanitize hands before entering production rooms (that was always the case).- Mandatory reporting of any positive Covid-19 case.

What we offer:

- Permanent & full-time work.
- Group employee insurance program
- Group RRSP program with employer matching
- Reimbursement of certain fitness and sports a