Quality Assurance Specialist - Filling

The Quality Assurance Specialist – Filling supports all filling lines, by attending daily operational review (DOR) as requested, supporting local management of change (MOC), Quality Monitoring System (QMS) review and implementation, non-conformance investigations, continuous excellence initiatives, support throughout the factory, and other quality tasks as needed. This person also serves as the back-up to the QA Manager and blending Quality Specialist. This role is onsite in Vital Proteins’ facility in Franklin Park, IL. 

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Vital Proteins is a dynamic organization consisting of a team of passionate individuals who believe whole-food-based nutrition is essential for overall health, fitness, and wellbeing. Our team is comprised of intelligent and innovative talent who work collaboratively to ensure creativity, success, and global growth. At Vital Proteins, our mission is to empower our company, team, customers, and consumers to live a full, vibrant life. We seek to hire, develop, and support individuals, who continually ask questions and seek out ways to improve strategies and tactics involving our brands, sales, operations, innovation and other go-to market activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Quality Control Activities – Supports the production floor by attending the daily operational reviews for production and quality as needed. Takes part in investigations to drive issues impacting Quality KPIs under the guidance of QA Manager. Supports training for key factory team members to ensure that the proper knowledge base is present. Supports the development, maintenance, and implementation of MMRs and QMS to assure documentation alignment to practices.
• Quality Guardianship – Notify appropriate production personnel/management of deviations, non-conformances, and blocked product.
• People and Know-How – Support production in the achievement of their objectives. Promote quality awareness and commitment to quality across the unit through effective training and coaching of the MMR, HACCP, QMS and quality standards.
• Quality System – Support and update quality procedures, work instructions and tools for the production team. Support Management of Change (MOC) at blending level by ensuring program compliance and audit readiness. Support operational objectives in collaboration with the QA Manager and Blending Quality Specialist.
• Quality Mastership – Support activities to achieve compliance with the Quality Management System requirements and other applicable instructions and standards. Identify non-conformance issues and take part in Quality/Food Safety risk analysis, support investigations (GSTD), to recommend proper disposition of associated product in the MRB.
• Quality auditing and verification – Support factory readiness for internal and external audits.
• Providing support to other quality systems within the plant as assigned.

Safety and Environmental:

• Follow factory safety & environmental objectives & targets
• Follow the plant safety rules; report incidents & unsafe conditions immediately
• Maintain compliance with regulations and refer to the Safety & Environmental Management System(s) on all related procedures and programs.
• Understand the environmental aspects of the position and take action to reduce these environmental impacts by conserving paper, electricity, water etc. Will also recycle all appropriate materials (paper, plastic, food, etc.)

Quality:

• Follow factory food safety, quality objectives & targets
• Follow Nestle Good Manufacturing Practices, report food safety and quality issues immediately.
• Maintain compliance with regulations and refer to Nestle Quality Management System on all related procedures and programs.
• Understand the food safety and quality aspects of the position as indicated on QMS, OJT's and SOP's that apply.
• Throughout all these responsibilities, maintains a focus on continuous improvement.

STRATEGIC IMPACT:

The Quality Assurance Specialist is vital in prevention of significant negative brand image impact as a potential result of non-conforming goods by ensuring appropriate batch disposition occurs so that at risk product does not enter the supply chain and cause potential recall or harm to consumers. Prevention and minimizing of rejections, improvement of factory processes, and positive impact on plant costs of Quality and non-Quality and compliance.

REQUIREMENTS:

• University graduate (preferred microbiology, chemistry, or food science) or equivalent work experience

EXPERIENCE:

• Exposure to different jobs within operations (production, maintenance) or within quality functions
• Experience in food science / food manufacturing
• Proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Programs
• SAP/DMO experience preferred.

SKILLS:

• Local language and English language written and spoken.
• Able to set priorities and delegate activities.