Quality Assurance Lead in Machiasport, Maine at Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
Job Description
Job Description – Quality Assurance Lead Hand
Location: Machiasport
Position Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Reports To: QA Supervisor
Direct Reports: QA Supervisor ; provides day-to-day guidance
Our Company:
Cooke, True North Maine is a respected leader in the seafood industry, committed to delivering top-quality, sustainably sourced fish products. Our True North Maine location is a key part of our operations, and we are looking for a motivated and skilled Quality Assurance Lead Hand to support our quality assurance team and contribute to our high standards.
Job Summary:
The Quality Assurance Lead Hand (Monitor) is responsible for daily quality and food safety verification activities on the production floor. This position supports the QA Supervisor by conducting inspections, completing monitoring tasks, verifying compliance with procedures, identifying deficiencies, and communicating corrective actions. The QA Lead Hand acts as the first level of leadership and technical support.
Key Responsibilities:
Quality and Food Safety Monitoring:
- Conduct a QA assessment once per day throughout processing operations.
- Complete environmental swabbing programs as scheduled and submit the environmental swab plan to the lab the week prior to swabbing.
- Perform raw material temperature verification activities.
- Monitor compliance with food safety, GMP, HACCP, BRCGS, BAP, and customer requirements.
- Follow up on customer complaints and communicate inspection updates to the INspec Manager when required.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA):
- Participate in Root Cause Analysis investigations for quality, food safety, customer complaint, GMP, environmental monitoring, and documentation-related non-conformances.
- Complete initial fact gathering and evidence collection, including interviews, observations, records review, photographs, and trend analysis.
One Point Lesson Development and Training:
- Conduct short coaching sessions to reinforce quality and food safety expectations, inspection methods, documentation requirements, and GMP compliance.
- Maintain records of training topics, attendee participation, and effectiveness verification activities.
- Identify recurring knowledge gaps requiring additional training and communicate recommendations to the QA Supervisor.
- Verify employee understanding through observation, questioning, and follow-up assessments.
Inspections and Verification Activities:
- Identify non-conformances and initiate corrective actions.
- Conduct monthly inspections, including Pest Control Program and Glass and Brittle Plastic Program inspections.
- Conduct quarterly facility/building inspections.
Training and Procedural Compliance:
- Review one SOP and one Work Instruction per week.
- Develop and complete knowledge assessment questions based on reviewed procedures.
- Verify QA Technician understanding through verbal questioning.
- Conduct short training sessions on proper methods, forms, and sign-off requirements, and submit hard copies to the QA Manager.
- Report training results and procedural gaps to the QA Supervisor.
Special Projects:
- Complete special requests from Sales and QA Management.
- Conduct weekly risk assessments for floor-level QA concerns and escalate significant issues to the QA Manager.
Expectations of the Role:
- Reliability & Diligence: Consistently demonstrate reliability, punctuality, attention to detail, and accurate completion of monitoring and verification tasks.
- Hands-on QA Leadership: Lead by example on the production floor and provide day-to-day guidance and technical support to QA Technicians.
- Effective Communication: Communicate clearly and respectfully with QA Technicians, the QA Supervisor, production employees, and management representatives.
- Problem Identification: Proactively identify quality, food safety, documentation, production, and GMP concerns and escalate when required.
- Commitment to Standards: Uphold high standards for food safety, product quality, regulatory compliance, and record accuracy.
- Training Support: Reinforce procedural compliance through one-point lessons, short coaching sessions, verbal questioning, and follow-up verification.
- Adaptability: Adjust to changing production needs, inspection priorities, customer requests, and QA management direction.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
- Seafood processing or food manufacturing experience.
- Knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, BRCGS, SFCR, and food safety programs.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to perform inspections and make objective quality decisions.
- Intermediate computer and documentation skills.
Working Conditions:
- Work is performed in a seafood processing plant and QA support environment.
- Regular presence on the production floor, processing lines, inspection areas, and refrigerated or wet environments is required.
- Exposure may include loud noise, slippery surfaces, water, cleaning chemicals, cold temperatures, and fish processing by-products.
- Standing, walking, inspecting product and equipment areas, and completing documentation are routine parts of the role.
- Use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is mandatory.
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