Quality Lab Specialist

**About Our Company**

Our products can be found under Private Label in local and national groceries, multi-unit restaurant operations, and other food manufacturers across the US and Canada. We supply a vast range of chef-created sauces and dressings for meal kits, frozen meals, restaurant entrees and salads and salad kits. Though you may not know Giraffe Foods yet, you certainly know our customers and have most likely already enjoyed some of our delicious products without realizing it.

Proud to be chosen as Canada’s Best Managed company three years running, Giraffe Foods boasts a strong leadership team and enjoys a mutually-beneficial partnership with our global parent company Symrise, headquartered in Germany.

The **Quality Lab Specialist (18-month contract) **is responsible for the daily monitoring, testing and approval of production batches along with coordinating day time lab activities in support of the Quality team. Also, this role is responsible to investigate the root cause of non-conformances and investigate the customer complaints. The Quality Lab Specialist ensures the adherence of all policies and procedures with respect to quality are maintained, and all non-conformances are reported to the Food Safety/Lab Manager.

**Roles & Responsibilities**:

- Conduct analytical and sensory testing of production batches and food products ensuring finished goods meet established quality parameters.
- Maintain all Laboratory equipment including pH and Aw Meter and other related instruments along with their quality records. Ensure verification as required.
- Coordinate Lab organization / cleanliness; order supplies and ensure a safe work environment.
- Perform shelf-life analysis on new and existing products and issue shelf-life extensions as needed.
- Collect micro and retain samples during manufacturing process. Send samples to external laboratories and customers as required.
- Take lead in customer complaint investigations, internal batching non-conformance investigations and their subsequent follow-up monitoring & corrective actions.
- Initiate hold and release procedures complying with Giraffe’s food safety standards.
- Provide support for internal and external audits.
- Provide technical support to solve quality related problems in product development and manufacturing.
- Collect, maintain, analyze, and interpret various Quality program KPI data in support of the Quality department’s goals and initiatives.
- Comply with Health & safety policies, reporting potential hazards and unsafe working conditions.
- Other duties as assigned by Quality Supervisors and FSQA Manager.

**Skills, Experience and Education**:

- Post-secondary degree or diploma in food industry related fields.
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in the food laboratories or analytical monitoring activities in laboratory/manufacturing environment.
- Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) with effective investigational and technical writing skills.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
- Good understanding of food regulatory requirements in Canada and Good Manufacturing Practices.
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in food industry related fields.
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in the food laboratories or analytical monitoring activities in laboratory/manufacturing environment.
- Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) with effective investigational and technical writing skills.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
- Good understanding of food regulatory requirements in Canada and Good Manufacturing Practices.
- Ability to multi-task and manage multiple priorities simultaneously in order to meet tight deadlines.
- Excellent organizational and decision-making skills.
- Ability to work effectively and prioritize jobs in a very fast paced work environment.
- Ability to understand and follow a variety of guidelines and work procedures.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment to facilitate and resolve issues.
- Ability to multi-task and manage multiple priorities simultaneously in order to meet tight deadlines.
- Excellent organizational and decision-making skills.
- Ability to work effectively and prioritize jobs in a very fast paced work environment.
- Ability to understand and follow a variety of guidelines and work procedures.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment to facilitate and resolve issues.

We thank everyone for their expression of interest—and are truly appreciative of the time individuals put into applying—but with the limitations of time only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Giraffe Foods Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal treatment of all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, pregnancy, age, disabil