FSQA Lead - 1st shift in San Diego, California at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.

Position will be responsible for coordinating the monitoring and execution of Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) programs
throughout the plant and providing leadership to the FSQA technicians. This is accomplished through coordinating the activities of the
FSQA technicians, conducting audits and training FSQA and production employees. Responsibilities will include making decisions to
accept or reject area, equipment, products or materials when deemed insanitary, possibly contaminated, or if the product is determined
to be out of Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. (AFNA) specifications. When any deficiency in requirements occurs, it is the
responsibility of the FSQA Lead technician to take appropriate action

Key Performance Elements/Essential Functions

Coordinates the activities of FSQA Technicians and verifies all required duties/areas are covered. May coordinate FSQA
Technicians schedule.
Train FSQA Technicians to assure that they understand their duties and are competent in performance.
Assists in developing and applying quality controls and related procedures in plant operations. May be required to perform other
FSQA tasks if someone is absent.
Assists in special projects related to food safety and product quality.
Responsible for insuring that FSQA activities are completed within the allotted time and are accurate.
Be a resource for production supervisors, to aid in training, policy enforcement and problem solving.
Will assist in evaluating new processes and materials and make recommendations.
Assist R&D in setting up specifications and control standards for products (especially new ones). Provide input to the
development of product specifications as needed.
Create and maintain a reference library of finished product samples (Gold Standards and Drift Controls) for use in the Daily
Product Consistency Evaluation (DPCE).
Consolidate the findings of the DPCE and report non-conformance identified from the reports.
Follow up on deviation reports. Assists in identifying the causes of problems to recommend solutions and preventive measures in
areas involving product quality, materials, product deviations and sanitation controls.
Keeps accurate and complete records of all inspections, tests, evaluations, and deviations.
Maintains technician time sheets and follows disciplinary policy as needed.
Assists with in-plant monitoring including monthly facility assessment, positive swab investigations, Mass Balance, allergen
compliance, Foreign Object Blitz and pest control.
Verifies all deficiencies are corrected in a timely manner.
Interact with, and address concerns of, local USDA inspection toward manufacturing and food safety concerns.
May perform HACCP Pre-shipment review.
Performs data entry as needed.
Perform all other work as assigned.

Financial Responsibility
Indirect responsibility for quality and food safety costs and financial benefits to AFI through compliance to specifications.

Qualifications, Education and Experience:
A College degree in Food Technology, Food Science or its equivalent is desirable. Meaningful education and experience may be
substituted for the degree requirement.
Sufficiently broad experience in food manufacturing Food Safety and Quality Assurance and/or food plant production operations,
processes, and policies to permit execution of assigned duties is strongly desired. Limited food manufacturing experience
combined with an appropriate college degree may be considered.
Certifications such as HACCP, PCQI, SQF, or through ASQ and other professional quality associations are helpful.

General Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Budget/Cost Control – general understanding of FSQA/procurement budgeting and cost control functions.
Analytical – ability to independently perform, technical analysis of supplier performance.
Communication Skills – excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical writing and presentation skills.
Organizational Skills – excellent organizational skills.
Judgment/Decision Making – ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and make
appropriate recommendations independent of supervisor.
Computer Skills – working knowledge of Microsoft based software, including Excel, Word and Outlook.
Other – ability to elicit internal and external support; good interpersonal skills; ability to work under pressure and short time lines,
prioritizing multiple projects with various simultaneous deadlines, as well as attention to detail with accuracy

Position Specific Experience/Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Valid Driver’s License, clean driving record
Fluency in English (Written and Verbal) – required
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the
essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform
essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
The employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk and taste or smell.
The employee is frequently required to use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance in a
manufacturing facility; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth
perception and the ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the
essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform
essential functions.
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is
occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold and extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is
usually loud in the production area.
Capable of 24-hour, 7-day a week, emergency work assignments.

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Pay range: $25-30 DOE

Monday- Friday- 1st shift

Ajinomoto Foods Benefits | Benefits Hub 2026