Quality Assurance Technician

**Overview**

Quality Assurance Technician will 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 complete preoperational inspections of facilities and equipment prior to production start-up. 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.

**Main accountabilities include**:

- 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.
- Perform audits of products including batch controls, component weights, finished weights, organoleptic evaluations along with various other checks, and collect samples of raw materials, in process products and finished products as required.
- Create quality and food safety deviations when programs are not followed and participate in root
- cause analysis activities to eliminate and prevent reoccurrence, and follow-up to ensure they are closed out.
- Initiate product holds and supplier corrective action reports when necessary to ensure customer, internal quality and food safety requirements are met. Ensure documentation is completed and products are adequately labelled and dispositioned.
- Assist in maintenance of prerequisite and CCP monitoring documentation as required.
- Verify production and quality department documentation is complete and accurate.
- Perform various HACCP and SQF related verification activities.
- Participate in external audits (Regulatory, 3rd Party & Customer).
- Lead Internal Audits on Quality and Food Safety Programs as per internal audit plan.
- Follow up on any necessary corrective action items associated with these audits.
- Assist with Employee Food Safety and Quality Training
- Assist in investigation of consumer and customer complaints.
- Ensure Calibrations of key tools and equipment is maintained and current.
- Participate in mock recall exercises.
- 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.
- Lead one special project on a yearly basis to improve compliance and capabilities within the department.
- Other duties as assigned

**Knowledge and Skills Required**:

- University or college education in Food Science, Food Safety or Food Quality or equivalent experience however acquired.
- Solid understanding of quality and food safety standards for food production
- Good leadership, interpersonal and problem solving skills.
- Good knowledge of Excel, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
- Very good oral and written communication, explanation, interpretation Working Conditions
- Able to work on rotational shifts, including weekends
- 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)

**Job Type**: Permanent

Pay: $24.22 per hour

**Benefits**:

- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
- Morning shift
- Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person