Manager, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, validate, document, and maintain plant Food Safety and Quality Systems including: HACCP, SSOP, SQF, GMPs, Allergen Control, Environmental Monitoring, Foreign Material Control, Food Defense and Food Fraud programs
• Ensure disciplined compliance with product formulations, specifications, regulatory requirements, and customer standards
• Serve as site lead for USDA inspections, SQF audits, third-party audits, and customer audits
• Maintain scientifically defensible regulatory decisions that protect food safety without compromising operational integrity
• Establish and maintain professional working relationships with USDA and regulatory authorities
• Ensure the facility maintains complete and accurate “regulatory evidence” demonstrating compliance and product safety
• Design, oversee, and continuously improve the plant sanitation program
• Ensure effective operational and pre-operational sanitation verification
• Develop and implement microbiological sampling programs (environmental and product)
• Possess hands-on knowledge of microbiological testing of meat and poultry products
• Investigate and respond to negative microbiological and shelf-life results with timely corrective and preventive actions
• Audit equipment cleanliness and sanitation effectiveness prior to production start-up
• Technical Leadership & Continuous Improvement
• Proactively prevent HACCP, SSOP, and process or product failures through disciplined process control and verification
• Rapidly investigate product or process deviations, determine root cause, and implement corrective actions while minimizing product exposure and downtime
• Implement and enhance Statistical Process Control (SPC) and quality monitoring systems
• Develop organizational awareness of Cost of Quality and drive quality-related performance improvements
• Partner with R&D on shelf-life validation and new product introductions
• Support equipment selection and process improvements to ensure food safety and quality standards are met
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with Plant Leadership to balance food safety excellence with operational performance
• Collaborate with Corporate FSQA to ensure alignment with company-wide policies and initiatives
• Work closely with Sanitation, Operations, Procurement, and Vendor Assurance to ensure raw material and finished product compliance
• Lead customer complaint investigations and corrective actions

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field required
• Minimum 6+ years of supervisory experience required
• 7+ years leadership experience in the food industry (meat industry strongly preferred)
• Comprehensive knowledge of USDA, FSIS, FDA, HACCP, and SSOP requirements
• Hands-on experience conducting microbiological testing of meat and poultry products required
• In-depth understanding of microbiological testing and limited chemistry testing
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Total Quality Management (TQM) is preferred

Physical Requirements and Environment

• Comfortable walking, climbing stairs, and sitting/standing for long periods
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment, learn new tasks, and meet productivity quotas
• There is a possibility of travel which will be less than 5%
• Exposure to 85-decibel sounds on the plant floor (PPE provided)

Benefits

• Top-tier Medical, Dental, Vision coverage
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness Plan and Gym Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement
• College Scholarship for dependents
• Employee Bonus Program
• Competitive Paid Time Off
• Relocation Assistance
• Employee Bonus Referral Program
• Community Impact Opportunities
• Team Events and Seasonal Workplace Gatherings

Opportunity Calls!

Unsure if you meet all requirements? Don't hesitate, apply! Our recruitment process is prompt and transparent. Your resume will receive swift attention from our talent professionals. If chosen, you'll undergo a recruiter phone screen, followed by interviews with key team members. We value your potential. At Home Market Foods, we champion equal opportunities for all, prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, gender, and more. Our commitment extends across all aspects of employment, ensuring a fair and inclusive workplace. At this time, Home Market Foods will not sponsor applicants for employment authorization for this position for the following work visas: STEM OPT EAD, H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, O-1, J-1, or TN