Food Safety and Quality Assurance Analyst

Avena Foods is a specialty miller that partners with farmers and customers to bring safe, sustainable, nutritious oat and pulse ingredients to consumers around the globe which are non-GMO and gluten-free. We have three facilities: Regina, SK, Rowatt, SK and Portage la Prairie, MB.

In a career with Avena you can look forward to:

• Being a part of team committed to building an innovative and diverse culture

• Supporting your growth through professional development, training, and recognition programs

• Competitive compensation includes benefit programs such as: Health, Dental, Life, Retirement Savings, Employee and Family Assistance Program and more

• We offer additional benefits for extras Take advantage of our Health Spending Account for additional expenses like more expensive glasses. Or the Wellness Account that covers recreational items like gym membership, running shoes, etc.

If you'd like to join a team that is collaborative, hardworking and provides opportunities for growth. Please apply.

Avena Foods is actively seeking a Food Safety and Quality Assurance Analyst to join our team. Reporting directly to the Manager, Food Safety & Quality Assurance, this role contributes to Avena's Food Safety and Quality Management Systems (FSQMS) for oats and pulse ingredients at Regina and Rowatt facilities. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with food safety processes, facilitating audits, creating and implementing corrective actions, and keeping the organization informed of food safety issues.

This position may require travel between Avena locations.

Key responsibilities

• Assist the Manager, FSQMS to ensure policies and procedures needed for food safety and quality management are established, implemented, and maintained.

• Assist the Manager, FSQMS with 2nd & 3rd party audits and certification renewals (Organic, Kosher, Gluten-free, non-GMO, GFSI) This includes preparation, execution, corrective action plans etc.

• Prepare and maintain accurate and current process flow diagrams for each product process category covered by the Food Safety and Management System.

• Coordinate all verification activities of the FSMS such as Preop, Organic cleaning, CCP & OPRP validations, magnet pull test, EMP swabbing etc.

• Ensure that Production daily package and other FSMS records are complete and accurate. Follow up on incomplete/inaccurate records by retrieving missing information, interviewing staff, and determining root cause. File all verified records and perform data entry as required.

• Confirm reported nonconformities and determine disposition of nonconforming materials.

• Attend and prepare Monthly Food Safety Committee meetings, record minutes, and ensure resulting actions are entered into the Master Action Plan Tracker.

• Participate in customer complaints investigations, report writing, communication and data entry in complaints tracker. Ensure corrective/preventative actions are addressed, recorded, and closed in a timely manner.

• Act as back-up for QA Techs when necessary and complete special projects assigned by Laboratory Coordinator.

• Ensure the promotion of Avena's food safety culture and awareness of customer requirements pertaining to food safety throughout the organization.

• Other duties as required.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills:

• Minimum Diploma or its equivalent in Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Science, or related Field.

• Knowledge of HACCP principles and prevalent food safety and quality standards is essential.

• Proficient with Excel, Word, and Power Point

• Ability to multi-task, establish priorities and follow through on them.

• Ability to work independently and in a team with minimal supervision.

• Willing to be flexible on schedule; ability to meet schedules and deadlines, including overtime as required

• Excellent interpersonal skills that enhance inter-departmental interactions; ability to work with diverse personality types

• Good logical problem-solving; Strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills.

• Ability to be concise and focus on key elements; to self-verify and ensure accuracy

• Willing to be flexible on schedule; ability to meet schedules and deadlines, including overtime as required

• Employment is subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks which may include criminal record check, education verification and reference review.

• Avena is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact to request assistance.

• By submitting your resume, the applicant acknowledges that providing false, misleading or inaccurate information on their resume or during the interview is grounds for disqualification or dismissal.

Start Date: ASAP

Note: Not all applicants will receive a formal interview