Lead Quality Technician

Position Summary:

Associates in the Quality Assurance Technician position are responsible for monitoring the production process for conformance, dispositioning and sorting defective materials, and continual improvement to reduce the facilities Cost of Quality. In the event of absence, these job responsibilities will be covered by employees in the “Quality Assurance Leader” position or another employee in the “QA Technician” position.

Responsibilities and Duties:

This job description and performance standard document has been prepared as a guide to ensure better communication and understanding. All responsibilities, however, have not been included, nor could they be. Your Supervisor/Manager may from time to time ask you to perform other related duties not specifically included in this description. Likewise, this description will be revised when required to meet current business needs.

• Per the PPC Quality Manual, promotes and assists with management of the food safety and quality systems within PPC including compliance, training, corrective actions, and process improvements.
• Performs audits of production processes and routine quality inspections. Provides guidance and direction to production associates for disposition of material per the non-conforming material procedure. 
• Performs secondary product inspections to ensure conformance to specifications. 
• Conducts laboratory tests as needed (film COF, retained solvents with GC, heat seal testing, UPC or Data matrix scanning, etc.) and generates Certificates of Analysis. 
• Trains Production Associates on test methods as needed.
• Inspects, identifies, root causes and documents non-conforming material in the Quality Management module. Provides evidence of the defect (sample, photo or video), quantity, job number and operator number(s), supplier tags, etc. for evaluation and to initiate Corrective Action Responses (CARs). 
• Ensures quality hold tags are filled out and affixed correctly to non-conforming material.
• Organizes roll stock and pouch retains in a neat, orderly manner in the QA hold location. Purges older retains as necessary.
• Maintains raw material supplier tags on file by job number for traceability. Purges older supplier tags as necessary.
• Processes customer returns and assists with rework.
• Maintains laboratory equipment and surrounding areas in the lab office.
• As a support role to the production centers that moves freely between departments, this position is expected to maintain a steady and urgent pace to positively impact and inspire the pace of the Associates in the plant. 
• Ensures that all responsibilities and functions performed are in accordance with quality standards in place and that they meet the customer’s requirements. Participate in quality programs and be aware of changes and standards within the systems.
• Generates improvement ideas and embraces improvement projects to better the business.
• Perform other duties which may be assigned as part of the essential functions of the position.
• Be Safe! Encourage all employees to engage in safe working behaviors. 

Performance Requirements:

• Adherence and alignment to PPC's Safety Culture and objective of Zero Safety Incidents. 
• Adherence to GMP and food safety standards, with no repeat violations. 
• On a quarterly basis and cumulatively, no Quality Approved press retains with visible defects that resulted in >$5,000 rejections (internal or external).
• Accurately complete all COA's within 24 hours of job completion. 
• 100% press retain review within 24 hours of the material running on the press.
• Adhere to PPC’s attendance policy as outlined in the Employee Handbook. 
• Must complete assigned internal audits within the designated timeframe as stated on schedule. Provide proper care to lab equipment that results in zero damage.

Skills and Qualifications: 

• Able to follow directions, work with little or no supervision, good math skills, ability to read a tape measure, micrometer, and test equipment, and possess good people skills.
• Detail-orientation required for auditing completion of required paperwork and information system’s inputs with a high degree of accuracy. 
• Able to read and understand work instructions and accept verbal direction to successfully complete procedures and assigned tasks.
• Basic knowledge of our product and processes. 
• 1+ year previous manufacturing experience required. Previous experience in quality assurance is preferred. 
• Good verbal and written communication skills required, and proven experience with effective teams and continuous improvement methods strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is helpful.