2600 Outside Quality Control Supervisor (Day Shift) in Mt Olive, North Carolina at Mt Olive Pickle Company

Join the nation’s #1 producer of pickles, peppers, and relishes as our next Outside Quality Control Supervisor. In this role, you’ll oversee quality for both fresh and brined products, ensuring every batch meets our industry-leading standards.

If you’re passionate about food quality, thrive in a hands-on environment, and want to be part of a company with more than 100 years of expertise, we’d love to connect.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (times may vary based on the needs of the department). Saturday's required during the peak season (May - September, sporadically during non-peak)

Summary

Ensures the quality of fresh and brined products to assure adherence to standards and specifications.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Supervises QC Technicians and caretakers of the brine yard, brine maker, processors and carpenter.
• Controls the fermentation process to enhance the quality of fermented product.
• Continuously monitors all product being received and all product on the tankyard, brined and fresh, to ensure proper quality of stock is used in production
• Controls the desalting process of fermented stock to the required specifications when needed for use in production
• continuously monitors all product on the tankyard both brined and acidified to ensure quality is maintained until use.
• Coordinates the fresh receiving quality inspection processes, and communicates back any quality issues with stock to the Agricultural Procurement Department
• Coordinates activities with others, including researchers at NC State and the Food Fermentation Laboratory to develop methods and procedures that will further improve the brining processes while maintaining product quality and food safety.
• Monitors research and continually searches for methods and procedures to improve overall quality of brined stock.
• Obtains samples of brined stock from barrels or other containers and performs various test including acidity, % salt or salometer, pH, sizing and other tests.
• Monitors quality and suitability of fresh and recycled brine as well as all other brine used on the yard.
• Must be able to make quick and appropriate dispositions on the quality of any raw material (fresh/brined) deemed to be of concern. Reports deviations to the Outside QC Superintendent.
• Documents results of all sampling and testing on proper forms or programs. Reports deviations to the Outside QC Superintendent.
• Evaluates stock brined during the year for sizing and quality issues as an aid in determining best use of stock. Also evaluates purchased brine stock for quality to help determine disposition. Informs supervisors and others of deviations from specifications.
• Monitors salt usage on the tankyard.
• Keeps work area clean and neat.
• Follows safety rules and company policies.

Other Duties

• Participates in training, employee meetings, committees, project teams, etc. as appropriate.
• Receives written and verbal instructions on the above job tasks and performs other duties as directed by Supervisor.

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Food Science or related field.
• Knowledge of laws and regulations that pertain to food safety of fresh vegetables and fermented products.
• Expertise in Microsoft Office products with the ability to learn other computer based software
• Possesses ability to problem solve and make decisions in a timely manner
• Ability to research topics and develop a strong experimental design
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work with a team and has initiative to begin and finish tasks in an efficient manner
• Ability to interact with employees at all levels of the company

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises 15-25 people depending on season

Machines, Equipment, Tools Used

Titation equipment, metal gauges, length boards, knife, buckets, pans, blender, pressure tester, thermometer, salometer, pH meter, caliper, and calculator.

Physical Demands

Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerate degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.

Climbing: Use of stepladder may be needed from time to time to retrieve samples.

Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm as in handing.

Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips.

Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sound.

Repetitive Motions: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is also rated for light work.

Lifting: Occasional lifting required of weights equaling 50 pounds.

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data figures: transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication of parts at distances close to the eyes.

Work Environment

Works inside and outside with wide seasonal temperature variations with some wetting of feet. Fumes from forklifts, raw materials including peppers and onions. Some contact with dirt, dust, grease, chemicals, and brine. Head covers, safety glasses and gloves are required in some tasks.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position. All employees may have other duties assigned at any time.