Job Abstract

Position title: Sr. QA Specialist

Location: Hershey, PA

Summary:

Under Minimal guidance, the Sr. Quality Assurance Specialist’s primary role is to serve as a liaison between Quality Assurance (QA) and R&D, CI, and Engineering.  In this role the Sr. QA Specialist provides support to the manufacturing operations and depending on the shift may be the sole QA representative.  QA responsibilities include ensuring compliance to all company and regulatory policies/procedures pertaining to product safety/quality.  The position serves as the technical resource for Manufacturing and Engineering, providing leadership and guidance in the areas of weight control, packaging, incident investigation and resolution, troubleshooting and other related matters.  The incumbent also provides support to employee training, and product and process audits.  The position provides QA support to the various groups across the plant.  The Sr. QA Specialist must have a sound working knowledge of Hershey’s quality system requirements.  Some laboratory duties are required.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• QA Support: Work with Engineering, Product Development, Food Science, Facilities and Pilot Plant Operations personnel to ensure that all projects and activities are performed in a manner that meets and support all Federal standards for Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP and Food Safety Modernization Act.  Review established policies and procedures specific to the Pilot Plant are appropriate and aligned with relevant corporate PEP standards. Provide support during Pilot Plant product runs for consumer testing and sales samples. Review the necessary documentation and records related to quality assurance and sanitation policies, programs, and procedures, including Food Safety Plans and process preventive controls for established pilot scale production lines. Provide support during the creation of Food Safety Plans and HACCP for all TC products.

• Cleaning Support: Develop and maintain cleaning procedures for Pilot Plant processing equipment to ensure sanitary conditions and prevent infestation issues.  Provide technical support to ensure that janitorial contractors are adhering to the cleaning specifications and cleaning frequencies are appropriate for the production areas.  Train equipment users in proper cleaning procedures, cleaning solutions and storage practices.  Work with users, technical staff and equipment suppliers to verify new and existing equipment meets relevant sanitary design standards to facilitate cleaning efforts. As required, ensure that all process equipment shipped from the Tech Center meets sanitation, allergen and kosherization standards and maintain records.  Ensure that maintenance chemicals and cleaning solutions used in the building are appropriate for particular application and are properly handled.  Creation and annual review of the Master Sanitation Schedule for the Tech Center. 
• Training: Support training programs and informational materials as required to convey the above policies and procedures to Technical Center residents.  Review additional training programs that arise as food laws change and new issues surface in the food industry.  Conduct new employee orientation sessions on GMPs, Pest Control, Allergens, and all other policies and procedures that apply to work conducted in the Pilot Plant when needed.

• Auditing Conducts audits in accordance with Product Excellence Program (PEP)/ Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) / Environmental compliance procedures. Conduct periodic internal audits of the Pilot Plant and Laboratory areas to ensure that cleaning and pest control procedures and specifications are being followed and met.  Conduct periodic Pilot Plant walk-through of all areas with Pilot Plant members using established checklists for evaluations.  Report on the results, corrective actions and effectiveness of these activities.

• Incident Management:  Investigates and analyzes incidents to identify trends in product/quality safety information.  Initiates corrective actions and communicates findings as appropriate.  Uses various computer support systems (to help isolate / solve problems.

Desired Skills

• Ability to effectively plan and execute multiple priorities while being flexible and adaptive to change.
• Ability to effectively work with Product Development and Engineering to understand new product innovation, ingredients, and processes.
• Superior communication skills in verbal and written forms.
• In depth understanding of a production / manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge and implementation of Sanitation Principles to food processing equipment and environments including Pest Control Principles.
• Advanced problem solving/trouble shooting skills.
• Detailed knowledge of regulatory and quality system requirements – PEP, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), GFSI/SQF Standards, Food Safety Modernization Act and Preventive Controls, etc.; in addition, knowledge of Federal and State guideline for Food Manufacturing.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence all management levels, enabling the direction of activities of teams of employees that do not have direct reporting in this role.
• Proficiency in computer programs / software such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, Power Point, SAP, Database Systems, etc.
• Ability to repeatedly bend, stoop, and stretch, and spend a major portion of the work shift standing and walking.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: 

• B.S. in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field or equivalent related experience.
• 3 years relevant experience in food manufacturing or equivalent experience in adjacent manufacturing, 5 years preferred. 

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