A Food or Agricultural Technician assists agricultural and food scientists with research and testing related to safety and quality control. May focus on testing and lab analysis for animal crops and animal feed, or focus on testing and lab analysis for food, food crops, processed food, food additives and food containers.
At Instinct®, our purpose is to feed the unspoken bonds between pets, their people, and the planet. As The FreshRaw Brand , we believe nothing is fresher than raw and that raw nutrition has the power to help pets live healthier, happier lives. Guided by our leadership capabilities — acting as Change Agents, driven by Consumer Obsession, and fueled by a Challenger Mindset — we're redefining what's possible in pet food and challenging the status quo to create a better future for pets, people, and the planet. From our St. Louis headquarters to our Center of Excellence Raw Food Kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska, we're united by a shared passion for making a meaningful difference through the power of raw. Instinct® is part of the family-owned group, Agrolimen, who owns leading pet food and human food businesses in the US, China, Europe, and Africa.
Position Summary:
Responsibilities involve quality audits and food safety monitoring in a pet food processing facility. This includes monitoring raw materials, processing areas, finished product and providing accurate documentation to support the
SSOP, GMP & HACCP
programs, and labs.
Key Responsibilities:
Executes activities related to reviewing, monitoring, documenting, and assessing food safety and quality standards to verify materials are compliant with product specifications including, but not limited to net weights, product quality, product codes/labels, temperatures, CCP's Gather product samples from production lines to identify defective and non-conforming product and take appropriate corrective action if necessary Gather product samples from production lines aseptically for product testing; ensure on-time sample pick-up for product release Ensure cGMPs and best practices are being followed by auditing the facility and personnel daily for compliance Monitor production processes, personnel, and facilities to ensure adherence to cGMP, FSMA, HACCP, SQF, Sanitation guidelines, etc.; taking corrective action as necessary if standards are not being met Assist in employee training as needed for Food Safety and Quality tasks Pre-Op inspection of processing area/equipment daily before the start of operations to verify cleanliness Perform swabbing to ensure the cleanliness of equipment and surrounding environment Generate complete and accurate documentation of all monitoring activities; distribute all reports in timely manner Perform scale and thermometer verifications; calibrations of other equipment may also be required Communicate with all cross-functional departments to notify of issues, take appropriate actions and resolve problems; may assist in non-conforming product investigations Perform verification activities for FS&Q documentation Maintain organization and inventory of on-site product samples/retains. Enter data in spreadsheets as required Support Food Safety and Quality initiatives and data collection Other assigned projects and other tasks/duties when appropriate Be the back up in the lab when needed to run samples and collect samples Assist with training for food safety/quality-related topics for Operations personnel. Develop SOPs as needed. Assist with preparations for SQF audit Back-up for other QA personnel Assist with fostering Food Safety/Quality Culture within Instinct manufacturing Ensure employees are following expectations (safety, quality and operational) Deploy trainings Inspection, escalation and record keeping
Esystems:
Microsoft Office Tools (Excel, Outlook), ERP (QAD), Electronic monitoring system (Redzone) Must be able to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds Must be willing to work in refrigerated temperatures (40F to 50F) Other duties as assigned
Personal Attributes:
High Values:
integrity (do the right thing), encourager, courteous, respectful and trustworthy Team player: work effectively across levels and departments, cover responsibilities of others, and work holidays/weekends as needed A self-starter with the desire to follow work instructions and work with urgency Organized with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple things at once Effective verbal and written communicator Ability to remain calm in stressful and conflict situations
Skills and Technical Expertise:
Employee safety knowledge (Knowing what you can do to keep yourself and others free from work injuries) Food safety and quality knowledge (Knowing what you can do to assure safety, high-quality product) Sanitation knowledge (operational sanitation)
Required Experience:
Employee safety knowledge (Knowing what you can do to keep yourself and others free from work injuries) Food safety and quality knowledge (Knowing what you can do to assure safety, high-quality product) Sanitation knowledge (operational sanitation)
Preferred Experience:
Bilingual (Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, French) Prior experience in
Production Compensation and Benefits:
Competitive compensation includes health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, short and long-term disability, paid time off, Purpose Days off for company partner volunteer opportunities, and 401k with company match.
Job Type:
Full-time Shift availability: Night Shift (Preferred) Ability to
