QA Technician - 2nd Shift - Russell Stover Chocolates

Why Russell Stover?

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

Position Summary:  The Quality Assurance Technician reviews and evaluates required plant quality documentation, to ensure compliance in the areas of quality, food safety and regulatory.

The QA Tech. will provide oversight into daily work activities conducted by the line inspectors to ensure compliance with code dates, correct rotation code and labeling. They will gather and analyze samples for testing. They will also provide oversight for ingredients being received as well as the inspection of raw materials.  The Quality Technician assures that the plant effectively executes Lab policies, procedures, and systems established by the Corporate Quality Organization in the areas of Quality and Food Safety, analytical and performance testing methodologies. Champions the ownership of Food Safety and Food Quality programs to all plant personnel.

Reports To: The Quality Assurance Technician reports to the Quality Assurance Supervisor

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Duties:

• Assist Supervisor in the Development, Implementation and Maintenance of the Quality and Food Safety (HACCP) programs including employee training, document control and program auditing.
• Assure plant QA lab compliance including record keeping, laboratory execution, Quality Alert effectiveness, hold and release protocols and COA compliance. Maintain high level of “Good Laboratory Practices”.
• Lead laboratory in troubleshooting micro related deficiencies, working with technical resources (Quality, Engineering, and R&D) and plant management resources to identify root cause and eliminate recurring lab – quality related issues.
• Address incoming ingredients, including Salmonella testing. This includes hold and release protocols and COA compliance.
• Coordinate the Third Party Microbiological and Chemical testing program to ensure reliable and efficient test results and ensures that plant laboratory follows equipment and procedural standards including calibration program.
• Proactively review, analyze and report on out of compliance findings, which include documenting and required following ups.
• Must be able to read and understand process specifications, formulas, scales, weights and volumes.
• Ensure that “out of specification” product test results, which indicate action on product inventories, are communicated to the appropriate personnel expediently.
• Work with Quality, Production, Maintenance, Transportation and Distribution to ensure compliance to Food Safety Plans (HACCP Plan). Promote understanding of process lines and Food Safety Plans.
• Organize verification schedule of prerequisite programs including Pest Control, Maintenance, Sanitation, GMP’s, Calibration of Equipment, Control of Physical Contamination, Allergen Control, Transport and Delivery, Training of Personnel, Food Defense and Internal Auditing with stakeholder (process owners) departments.
• Maintenance of Quality Systems documentation to include QA, production and sanitation, organizing document numbering, archiving and storage.
• Conduct weekly Self Inspections and data entry and participate in internal audit corrective action review meetings.
• Actively engage in analyzing root cause analysis for customer complaints.
• Ensure prompt communication of results and proper data storage for expedient retrieval.
• Ensure laboratory methods manuals and laboratory SOP's are current and complete.
• Working cross functionally within department to achieve results, may be assigned to other duties by supervisor within the department to complete tasks.
• Operates equipment, tools, and machinery in a safe and proficient manner.
• Daily activities include but not limited to receiving, batch set-ups, weighing, bagging, inventory control and inspection.
• Must pay attention to detail, work in a team environment and adaptable to schedule changes.
• Verify that process specifications from raw material to packaged goods are maintained at acceptable levels.
• Maintain high level awareness of area sanitation.
• Works with employees and managers from all areas of the plant to ensure compliance with RSC guidelines, rules, and procedures.
• Performs clean-up activities as assigned.
• Conforms to rules. 

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.