Panco Foods QA Technician

Position: QA Technician
Company: Pan’s www.mushroomjerky.com
Location: Central Eastside Portland Oregon
Contact: Send resume and cover letter to [email protected]
Salary: Commensurate with Experience ($52-$65K/Annual)
Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Who We Are:
Established in 2018, Panco Foods Inc. is a locally owned company that makes Pan’s Mushroom Jerky. We are a small, rapidly growing food manufacturer focused on developing delicious, high quality mushroom based products. We care deeply about how our food is produced, holding quality and safety at the core of our work. Our company is small and growing and we’re looking to add motivated, experienced team members with a people centered approach to our team. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to the core values of Diversity, Equity, Quality, and Sustainability.

Who You Are:
We are looking for a food safety and quality assurance professional looking for their next career step. You take pride in your work, thrive on teamwork, and are self-motivated. Process and systems are your passion. You’re able to juggle multiple projects at once, moving between detail oriented work to big picture program management. Additionally, you are someone who is reliable, friendly, and excited to grow with a local company.
We are looking for someone with:
●  Experience in food safety, quality assurance/control (required)
●Understanding and/or interest in local, state, and federal food regulatory requirements
● Training and certification in GMPs, HAACP, PCQI (company willing to pay for training)
●  Experience working in a company scaling from small to mid-sized
●  Clear, direct, and inclusive communication skills
● Excellent organizational and time management skills
● Experience in record keeping and writing procedures
● Consistent attention to detail
● Interest in growing with a fast paced, evolving company

What You’ll Do: The QA Technician is responsible for the overall development, implementation, and upkeep of Panco Foods Inc.’s Food Safety Program. You will both be responsible for the overall program management, as well as ensure, through either delegation or direct action, the day to day implementation of food safety practices/processes and program adherence. You will ensure that all product safety needs are met, that employees are following GMP, 3rd Party Food Safety, and Kosher requirements, that all QA testing is performed and recorded and that all QA records are maintained. The incumbent works with other managers to ensure the support of, develop and contribute to a safe workplace for all staff.

Overarching Responsibilities:
●  Lead the continuous improvement and scaling up of Panco Foods Food Safety Program in collaboration with managers, founder, and other appropriate staff.
●  Oversee Food Safety Program implementation to ensure all practices, processes, and products meet FDA and 3rd Party Food Safety requirements/regulations from receiving through production to shipment.
●  Update, improve and track all existing and new food safety requirements required by the FDA, USDA, local and regional agencies.
●  Systematize documentation and ensure its completion, accuracy, and timeliness.
●  Track label claim documentation and ensure compliance.
●  Lead sensory and quality testing such as taste, texture, water activity, shelf life, formula compliance and ensure each meets our quality standards.
● Serves as the key contact for service contractors, food safety and regulatory agencies.
Secondary Responsibilities:
●  Training of all personnel
    ○  Annual and New Hire training for Food Safety, SQF, Allergen and Food Defense requirements.
    ○  Annual and New Hire training on all documentation to assure all processes meet food safety requirements.
    ○  Sanitation Training to ensure employees understand the importance of and how to ensure a clean, sanitary facility.
  ○  Training to ensure employees are wearing the proper masks, non-slip shoes, aprons, and gloves to protect themselves and to ensure food safety.
●  Plant Safety
  ○  Daily checks to ensure team members are complying with company policies              requiring proper PPE (personal protective equipment) such as face masks, hairnets,      gloves and aprons.
   ○  GMP audits to ensure proper adherence to state and federal requirements.
   ○  Chemical safety – ensuring all hazardous chemicals are appropriately labeled and          stored.
●  Environmental monitoring
    ○  Quarterly environmental testing for food safety.
    ○  Annual water testing
●  Customer complaints monitoring and corrective actions
   ○  Working with the customer service department to ensure all customer complaints are analyzed and “root cause” determined.
  ○  Work with appropriate teams to address issue(s) and establish processes and procedures to eliminate recurrence. 

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