Quality Assurance Specialist (Ready to Eat Foods) - Longview, TX

Job Summary:

The Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for supporting food safety and quality initiatives to ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, SQF, and customer requirements.  This position maintains HACCP and food safety programs, conducts audits, investigates quality issues, implements corrective and preventive actions, manages regulatory and quality documentation, and promotes a culture of food safety through employee training and continuous improvement efforts.

Essential Job Duties:
•    Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, SQF, customer, and company food safety and quality requirements.
•    Assist in developing, updating, and maintaining food safety, sanitation, maintenance, and quality procedures and training programs.
•    Review and verify quality documentation for raw materials, packaging components, and finished products to ensure compliance with specifications.
•    Participate in customer complaint investigations and help document non-conformances, deviations, and out-of-specification results.
•    Conduct root cause analyses and assist in implementing Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs) resulting from internal and third-party audits.
•    Support environmental monitoring and sanitation programs to ensure compliance with food safety requirements.
•    Review QA and Production documentation, including Critical Control Points (CCPs), Control Points (CPs), preventive control programs, label verification  records, sanitation records, environmental monitoring records, and maintenance documentation.
•    Maintain and document food safety and quality records in accordance with established procedures.
•    Review and verify product labels to ensure compliance with approved specifications, nutritional information, allergen declarations, and regulatory requirements.
•    Maintain and update ingredient specifications, nutritional information, and allergen declarations.
•    Coordinate with Supply Chain to ensure supplier documentation, including specifications, third-party certifications, and Letters of Guarantee (LOGs), is current and accurately maintained.
•    Participate in internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits and follow up on corrective actions.
•    Provide food safety and quality training to employees as needed.

Qualifications Required:
•    Bachelor’s degree in food science, Microbiology, Public Health, or a related field.
•    Knowledge of FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, and Preventive Controls requirements.
•    Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
•    Experience with audits, food safety documentation, and quality systems in a food manufacturing environment.

Preferred:
•    HACCP Certification.
•    Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certification.
•    Experience working in a USDA- and/or FDA-regulated food manufacturing environment.

Skills & Competencies:
•    Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•    Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
•    Proficiency in maintaining accurate records and documentation.
•    Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
•    Strong attention to detail and commitment to food safety and quality standards.

Work Environment:
•    Food manufacturing environment.
•    Frequent interaction with Production, Sanitation, Supply Chain, and Quality teams.
•    May require periodic participation in audits, inspections, and training activities.