Product Quality Specialist

Description

Bringing our love of food to families for five generations!  Blount Fine Foods is a family-owned and operated manufacturer, marketer, and developer of premium fresh prepared foods. We are an engaging team, bringing restaurant-quality products to America including single-serve grab-n-go fresh soups, mac & cheese, and entrées in grocery stores across the country, as well as for hot bars and restaurants. Help us create the finest food experiences including those with specialty certifications that include organic, gluten-free, and low sodium, among others. Join a proven team for growth, success, and a satisfying career!

 THIS POSITION IS FIRST SHIFT, HOURS ARE 7AM-3PM

Summary – The Product Quality Specialist will be responsible to monitor the daily production of soups and prepared meals in collaboration with the Production Team to assure that established quality standards are met at each step of the prep, cook and fill process.

Essential Duties

• Conduct quality audits and influence the proper execution of culinary and cook methods so that product will meet desired quality levels. If necessary, use your culinary knowledge and good judgement to adjust inline to get product within specification.
• Coordinate specs and cooking instructions change requests related to quality and Right First Time activities including preparing supporting documentation, communications, and samplings.
• Responsible for investigating, analyzing, containing, and correcting quality issues related to customer complaints.
• Be a liaison of communication and expertise for new product launches or inter-site transfers.
• Serve as a resource/ coach for established quality standards and procedures, culinary training and technical support to reduce variability in each process.
• Work as part of the Renovation Team to suggest and/or assist in product renovation projects.
• Be present and integrated into production activities on the process floor.
• Assure all organoleptic qualities and process standards are appropriate and consistently met.
• Monitor and carry-out various batch control tests and product sampling to ensure process is in control.
• Maintain, create and communicate quality control reporting data.
• Candidate must be able to interact in a dynamic team environment while displaying tact and diplomacy with peers and management alike in order to achieve goals.
• Candidate must be reliable and flexible in order to meet seasonality demands of the business.
• Passion for food, team player, influencer, good communicator and has high quality standards.

Responsibilities for Food Safety

• Responsible for completing required paperwork accurately and honestly as applicable.
• Must adhere to all corporate GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), established SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and all Food and Employee Safety policies.
• Must adhere to all Allergen control programs and procedures as applicable.
• Responsible for reporting suspicious packages, activities and individuals.
• If monitoring CCPs (Critical Control Points), must be trained in HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and adhere to approved HACCP plan(s).

Education and/or Experience 

• Associate degree (A. S.) from college or university.  Bachelor’s Degree in a related discipline of Food Science, Statistics or a Culinary field and 2+ years manufacturing experience preferably in a food environment, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Culinary experience in a manufacturing environment preferred. 
• Quality certification/training/experience preferred.
• Excel and database experience required.

Our Total Compensation Package Includes:

• Medical, dental and vision benefits
• 401k with Company match
• Paid time off including vacation, sick time and holidays
• Education Assistance Program
• Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability
• Discounts on Blount products at Company retail locations
• Discretionary Annual Bonus Program