Quality Assurance Technician

Salary Range: 23.46 to 24.36 (Currency: CAD) (Pay period: per-hour-wage)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Actively participate in the implementation and review of CCP, HACCP and BRC Systems (GMPs, Prerequisite Programs, Policies, SOPs, etc.) as per QA management team
• Train, guide, and support QA verifiers with daily tasks.
• Applies regulation, policies and standard operating procedures regarding food safety and quality programs relating to incoming raw material, packaging and labeling inspections
• Profiles and evaluates raw materials, for defects and non-conformities, to ensure food safety, quality, and customer requirements are met
• Communicate with QA/production managers and supervisors for reporting non-compliances/deviations/CAPA.
• Ensures appropriate product holds and timely dispositions and/or releases.
• Daily follow up external lab micro-test results on daily swab and finished products and handle non-compliances as per HACCP plan and QA policy.
• Assist QA team in investigation of HACCP, and BRC non-compliance and deviations through root cause and risk analysis, and the application of corrective and preventative actions.
• Assists QA team and HACCP coordinator with onsite verifications, internal audits and HACCP verification tasks/reassessment.
• Supports QA team to ensure regulatory compliance with CFIA, GFSI, BRC and Customer requirements are met
• Electronically distribute daily QA shift reports to the relevant team
• Attend daily QA meetings and provide inputs for continuous improvement.
• Prepare all samples for Lab submission including paperwork.
• Review and verify daily QA and production paperwork and initiate non-compliances/deviations/CAPA as required.
• Identify, report and follow up to pest control and sanitation team for relevant concerns.   
• Actively follow up daily QA forms and paper works to maintain updated versions, communicate with QA management team for necessary changes as per SOP/specifications.
• Identify health and safety concerns and report to the management team as required.
• Back up QA verifiers and/or QA supervisor in absence/vacations.  
• Other duties as assigned

Pre-Operational Activities and Sanitation Support role:

• Conduct daily and non-daily pre-operational inspections and releases production equipment and production rooms to operations following corporate policies, SOPs and schedules along with QA/sanitation leadership team.
• Work with sanitation and direct re-cleans as necessary and conduct re-inspection.
• Assist with the development, implementation, maintenance and verification of the sanitation manual and pre-operational activities.
• Ensuredocumentationandresolutionofdeviationsoriginatingfromequipmentteardown, sanitation and equipment re-assembly as it relates to pre-operational and sanitation activities.
• Actively participate in implementing GMP policy during and post sanitation shift.
• Actively inspect premises and equipment conditions and issue work orders for repairs.
• Prepare, approve, conducts swabbing and sampling as applicable to pre-operational inspection.
• Prepare all samples for Lab submission including paperwork.
• Daily calibration of thermometers and/or other tools as required.
• Data entry of inspection results daily into a pre-op log.
• Identifies trends related to pre-operational and sanitationperformance,throughsanitationscorecardsandrewashlogs,andcommunicatingtrends to management.
• Maintains environmental monitoring, including record completion and trending of results.
• Attend weekly sanitation meetings.
• Other duties as assigned by QA/sanitation supervisor and/or Sanitation/QA manager.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal skills
• Highly detail oriented, Ability to work effectively as a team member
• Proficient with data entry, data processing and MS Office suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook etc.) 
• Proven ability to work effectively, prioritize multiple obligations within limited time.
• Adaptable to change, handles pressure well, adjusts plans to meet changing demands
• Excellent work ethics and accountability must work with minimal supervision in a team environment.
• Strong analytical, systematical, and problem-solving abilities
• Highly detail oriented and focused with excellent organizational skills.
• Strong attendance/punctuality
• Must be physically and mentally fit to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Meets attendance/punctuality requirements
• Makes decisions systematically, under pressure and can make difficult/unpopular choices

Education:

• University degree or college diploma/certification in Food science, Food/chemical engineering, Microbiology or in related discipline preferred. 

Experience:

• Preferably 1-2 years of working experience and/or strong knowledge on GMP, HACCP, Prerequisite Programs, preferably on CFIA inspected food manufacturing facility.
• Working knowledge of HACCP and GFSI systems and applicable regulatory agencies
• Thorough understanding of statistical process controls
• Knowledge root cause analysis investigation and resolution process
• Proficient with MS Suite products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required as well as with label system software