Aspire Bakeries is a North American baking company with a leadership position in specialty frozen baked goods. Formed from leading bakery companies, its innovative food portfolio includes breads, artisan breads, buns, cookies, donuts, muffins and pastries from beloved brands like La Brea Bakery®, Otis Spunkmeyer®, and Oakrun Farm Bakery®. With 13 bakeries in North America, we are committed to driving innovation, predicting upcoming consumer trends and flavors, and exceeding our customers’ expectations. Aspire Bakeries champions the values of Integrity, Ownership, Customer Focus, Creativity and Care to help us deliver on People Safety, Food Safety, Quality and Collaboration.
Key Accountabilities
The Quality Assurance (QA) Technician has the primary responsibility for protecting the food by conducting food safety and quality sampling, testing, and documentation to meet all regulatory, customer, and company requirements. QA Technicians may be designated as I, II, or III depending on level of experience and skills.
Responsibilities
• Responsible for meeting all applicable food regulations (international, national, state, and local)
• Responsible for complying with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards (i.e. BRC, SQF)
• Responsible for sampling, testing, and documentation of the Quality Management System (QMS) including procedures, records, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
• Works to maintain the safety, legality and quality of each food and the processes used in their manufacture.
• Responsible for meeting and exceeding customer requirements
• Works to reduce customer/consumer complaints for foods manufactured on site
• Reports food safety and quality issues to their supervisor
• Authorized to hold product based on food safety or quality non-conformance
• Participates in daily food evaluation to identify possible defects
• Participates in physical bakery inspections on a weekly basis on each area (pest control, operational methods, maintenance for food safety, sanitation, personnel practices, etc.)
• Responsible for assuring materials are received from approved suppliers and conducts raw material supplier performance monitoring
• Other duties may be assigned and QA Technician is expected to effectively manage and execute changes
Skills, Experience & Qualifications
• Effective work ethic and good communications skills
• High School Diploma, some college science courses or experience in the food industry
• Training in HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points)
• Training in a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard such as BRC or SQF
• Good writing, mathematics, and critical thinking skills
• Experience in computers including spreadsheets
License/Certification: GMP/HACCP Certification (in-house)
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed required to work near moving mechanical parts. The employee is frequently exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather). The employee is occasionally exposed to extreme heat or cold (non-weather), and to rapid changes in temperature. The employee must be able to tolerate a work environment that contains flour dust. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can get loud.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand and walk; and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
This position requires employee to have adequate communicating and observational skills, including seeing, speaking and hearing, due to the operation of various types of moving equipment used in the bakery. These requirements are for the safety of the employee and co-workers. These requirements are also necessary for collecting and distributing information to staff, and communicating with co-workers. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and color vision.
Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.