Quality Lab Supervisor – Food Manufacturing
Albert Lea, MN

The Quality Lab Supervisor provides necessary leadership and training to Quality Team Members in completing essential duties and responsibilities of the department, while supporting all day-to-day activities of QA team members, QA processes and procedures  and assists with the establishment and maintenance of programs, procedures and processes necessary to maintain an acceptable level of product safety, quality and customer satisfaction established by various federal, state, customer and company standards.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Ensure compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) under 21 CFR 117 as well as regional and national health authority regulations.
• Manage QC laboratory activities and laboratory personnel, coordinating daily work activities and overseeing instrument calibration and preventative maintenance programs. Ensure compliance with written procedures.

• Oversee chemical and physical analysis on product, ingredient, and control samples according to laboratory procedures, report completion, data entry and internal GMP audit activities. Needs to understand the concepts of each analysis, anticipate the result and follow through on any deviation.
• Is responsible for all lab responsibilities, able to serve as the backup performing microbiological and chemical analysis on product, ingredient, and control samples according to laboratory procedures; and release of product and COA preparation.
• Responsible for monitoring and maintaining the environmental program.
• Records all product analysis according to laboratory protocols including data entry on a computer system.
• Assists with R&D projects, plant inspections and QC checks during production and packaging of food.
• Assists with providing employee new hire and annual training programs including but not limited to: GMP, HACCP, Allergen, Food Defense.
• Supervises the Quality Control Technicians and provides coverage in labs as needed.
• Maintains the pest control program while working with shift supervisors and operators to document pest activity.
• Maintains and manages calibration schedules of testing equipment including moisture analyzer, water activity analyzer, etc.
• Assists the Quality Systems Supervisor with the oversight of the Quality System including SQF, HACCP and Food Safety Plans by assisting with report preparation, audit activities, both internal and external, corrective action investigations and reports.
• As a back-up PCQI, review production records, verify CCP’s for each process and maintain documentation while monitoring plant activities for compliance with HACCP/GMP programs.
• Monitors and assesses plant performance on Master Sanitation Schedule.
• Effectively communicates all critical information regarding analysis, procedures, and test results. 
• Uses computer skills in Microsoft D365, Outlook and Office necessary for the establishment and maintenance of procedures, SOPs, Work Instructions and forms and oversight of the GMP training program. 
• Follows all laboratory and plant GMP procedures. Embraces safety philosophy and policies.
• Establishes, maintains, and provides written reports when requested by Quality Systems Supervisor, Quality Manager and/or Plant Manager.
• Participate in daily operations meeting, and other meetings as requested.

REQUIREMENTS:

• The ideal candidate would have a bachelor’s degree in Quality or Science. However, a Minimum of two years’ experience in a Quality Control laboratory preferably within a food plant environment with prior supervisory experience would be considered. 
• The ideal candidate is certified in HACCP, a PCQI, qualified as an SQF practitioner, and has training in environmental monitoring, auditing, and statistical process control.

• Demonstrated working knowledge of GMP for Food, as well as good laboratory practices, testing methodologies and manufacturing practices.  Demonstrated ability to understand and organize technical data for communication and analysis. 

• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and possess strong interpersonal skills. With the ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Must be able to work independently – to organize tasks and manage the workload. Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in standardized situations. Must be able to do mathematical calculations.

• Strong computer skills within Word, Office, and Outlook.  Must have the ability to develop, create and maintain spreadsheets within Excel.

• Individual may also be periodically working in high or precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals.

MUST BE U.S. CITIZEN

RELOCATION OFFERED