Lead Quality Control Specialist (2nd shift 2:45pm - 11:00pm)
Peace River Citrus Products, Inc. – Clower Facility
POSITION SUMMARY:
The position ensures that product, packaging and process norms comply with quality and food safety standards for the company’s beverage base blending/packaging facility located in Bartow, FL. Reporting to the Quality & Food Safety Manager, the position performs quality auditing functions by testing, collecting data, and analyzing findings on raw materials, in-process, and finished goods. Another quality control specialist will back-up this position.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Analyze incoming ingredients, in-process, and finished products (e.g., Brix, acid, flavor, color, pulp, taste, oil, ascorbic acid, foreign material, etc.) per specifications.
- Monitor/inspect production lines to ensure quality and package integrity are within specifications.
- Verify accuracy of product codes, labels, cases, cartons, packages, sleeves, seals, and shrink-wrap.
- Check fill temperatures, fill weights, and fill heights of finished product.
- Perform complete package quality inspections as required.
- Collect samples for quality testing.
- Perform microbiological analysis on incoming ingredients and finished products.
- Complete all documentation associated with quality checks.
- Maintain accurate reports daily and file Quality and Production generated paperwork.
- Place raw materials and finished product on hold.
- Monitor sorting of hold product as needed.
- Monitor all quality checks performed by production.
- Maintain analytical equipment and perform required daily calibrations.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the use of control charts to monitor analytical equipment.
- Prepare standard solutions and reagents.
- Utilize proper chemical handling procedures.
- Monitor laboratory supply inventory; notify when reordering is necessary.
- Monitor and inspect sanitation activities.
- Analyze CIP and acid sanitizer solutions.
- Maintain equipment and area cleanliness to ensure compliance with all GMP standards.
- Assist blenders as assigned by Supervisors or Team Leaders.
- Comply with FDA, USDA, and GMP policies. Perform all tasks in a safe manner to ensure achievement of Quality, Food Safety, and Cost objectives. Comply with all standard operating procedures and requirements under PRCP Quality System.
- Participate in the quality improvement process.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by management.
LEAD DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provides direct reports with leadership, direction, and coaching to achieve work objectives and improve performance and skills.
- Oversees duties of personnel on shift and verifies work is correctly completed.
- Organizing workflow and ensuring that employees understand their duties.
- Monitoring employee productivity and providing constructive feedback and coaching.
- Good communicator and works with others.
- Able to back-up QCS personnel when employees are out.
- Verifies employee timesheets.
- Trains new hires. Trains employees on new and updated processes & procedures.
- Maybe asked to represent the department in a meeting.
- Prepares and submits lab reports to the department manager.
- Orders and purchases product, as directed.
- Ensures employees are adhering to company policies.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- High school diploma or GED required. Citrus and/or laboratory experience or additional education which includes laboratory experience.
- Ability to read, write, speak and understand instructions given in English.
- Ability to work eight-hour shifts, 12 hour shifts or other work schedules as determined by business need, including overtime as required.
- Ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive tasks at a lab bench.
- Ability to detect color changes in chemical testing.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Proven ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
- Good judgement with the ability to make timely and sound decisions.
- Comfortable and capable seeing the big picture; able to think conceptually and strategically, yet deliver measurable results as a “hands-on” contributor.
- Commitment to excellence and high standards.
- Excellent written/verbal communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to work with all levels of management.
- Ability to execute tasks independently, with the support of the senior manager
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
- Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within environment of constantly changing priorities.
- Basic computer skills and familiarity with MS Windows based applications (Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Access and Word).