Job Description

The Laboratory Technician works and reports directly to the Director of Quality Assurance to ensure that all products made by Trujillo Oil Plant, Inc. meet company standards and that products are produced to the highest quality. The Laboratory Technician is responsible for providing microbiological, chemical and physical analysis on all products and ensuring a safe laboratory environment at all times.

Main Duties:

Proficient in the use of basic lab equipment and is familiar with the following methods/analysis: pH, Acid Tritation, Viscometric, Refractometer index, Sodium Chloride, Fatty Acid, and Peroxide Value. Familiar in analyzing a food production process and able to conduct pathogen, yeast, mold and total plate count testing. Assist in receiving and inspecting all incoming raw ingredients for physical, chemical, microbial, and sensory attributes. Verify ingredient Certificate of analysis (COA's) and Specification data Sheets. Assist the Director of Quality Assurance in implementing training programs on sanitation and regulatory compliance among the other departments. Assist in daily plant sanitation and procedural audits. Responsible for inspecting the quality of finished products and interpretation of shelf life studies. Assist other departments in maintaining required documentation (for HACCP, SQF and GMP) and collects them for safe keeping. Capable of creating or modifying product recipes to use in the production process. Create product labels with nutritional analysis following FDA guidelines. Collaborate with the Company's engineering/maintenance team in order to improve processing steps. Inspect and validate production line sanitation and pre-operation forms. Maintain inventory of chemical reagents. Act as a liaison with major buying customers. Collect, identify and maintain inventory of production samples, laboratory supplies, equipment, and chemicals. Responsible for record keeping of all laboratory documents. Calibrate, monitor and maintain all laboratory equipment. Coordinate and send out samples to third party laboratories.
Requirements:

Minimum Associates Degree in Chemistry or related field required (3+) Three or more years experience in a Quality Assurance related position or laboratory environment. Familiarity of federal and state regulatory requirements specific to food safety and related areas (Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act; FDA Food Safety Modernization Act; FDA Bioterrorism Act; FDA Food Code; USDA Country of Origin Labeling; Federal and State Weights and Measures; and Code of Federal Regulations) and the principles behind these requirements affecting production. Individual must be reliable, organized, accurate and self-motivated. Must be willing to obtain HACCP Basic Training, Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, SQF and Acidified product certification. Basic knowledge of Kosher regulations Computer proficient in Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc. Strong written and communication skills Bilingual (English and Spanish)
Benefit Conditions:

Waiting period may apply
This Company Describes Its Culture as:

Detail-oriented -- quality and precision-focused Innovative -- innovative and risk-taking Outcome-oriented -- results-focused with strong performance culture Stable -- traditional, stable, strong processes People-oriented -- supportive and fairness-focused Team-oriented -- cooperative and collaborative
Work Remotely

No
This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is:

Dependable -- more reliable than spontaneous People-oriented -- enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects Adaptable/flexible -- enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction Detail-oriented -- would rather focus on the details of work than the bigger picture Achievement-oriented -- enjoys taking on challenges, even if they might fail Autonomous/Independent -- enjoys working with little direction Innovative -- prefers working in unconventional ways or on tasks that require creativity
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Parental leave Safety equipment provided Vision insurance
Education:

Bachelor's (Preferred)
Experience:

Management Experience related to food safety: 3 years (Preferred) Quality Control in a food manufacturing environment: 5 years (Required)
License/Certification:

Degree in Microbiology/food science/food enginerering (Preferred) FDA TRAINING (Preferred) SQF/HACCP (Preferred)
Work Location: In person