QA Samples Management Team Lead (Fruit Ingredients)

About the role

The Samples Management Team Lead oversees end-to-end sample operations across our international fruit ingredient supply chain, acting as the operational bridge between Sales, Customers, Suppliers, and Quality Control. This role focuses on day-to-day sample inventory control, temperature-controlled outbound shipments, documentation pairing, and supplier/customer sample workflows with a continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Oversee sample storage, including freezer/refrigerated inventory, and maintain real-time stock levels, lot tracking, and location logs.
• Conduct routine inventory audits and shelf-life monitoring of retained sample lots, managing sanitary disposal and replenishment cycles.
• Design, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for incoming supplier sample intake, laboratory sub-sampling, cold-chain packaging, and outbound dispatch.
• Develop and enforce a streamlined, traceable intake process for Sales to request customer samples, including SLA turnaround targets, required technical specs, and order tracking.
• Create structured sampling protocols for new prospective international suppliers and experimental crop-year fruit varieties (purees, concentrates, IQF, aseptic, etc.).
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary sample preparation lab following all applicable standards, and calibrate lab equipment.
• Standardize packaging configurations tailored to fruit product type, transit duration, and environmental conditions.
• Manage relationships with courier services, optimize freight costs, and track high-priority customer deliveries to ensure temperature integrity upon arrival.
• Coordinate documentation for incoming international samples to clear USDA/FDA import hold efficiently.
• Ensure 100% of outbound customer samples are paired with accurate, up-to-date Certificates of Analysis (COAs), product specifications, etc.
• Lead and direct day-to-day activities of sample coordinator(s).
• Act as the point of contact between Sales, Operations, QA, etc., regarding sample availability, requests, and delivery updates.
• Track and report monthly metrics on Sample Turnaround Time (TAT), shipping costs, sample request volume by category, and inventory accuracy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Supply Chain, Operations, Chemistry, or related technical discipline. 4+ years of practical experience in lieu accepted.
• 5+ years of experience in sample laboratory management or quality assurance within the food & beverage, ingredient, or perishables industry.
• Demonstrated experience mapping workflows, writing SOPs, and optimizing operational processes.
• Preferred experience with international fruit/agricultural import logistics and USDA/FDA regulations.
• Preferred supervisory or team lead experience.

Skills

• Basic understanding of fruit ingredient parameters (Brix, pH, acidity, sensory evaluation, cold-chain maintenance) and lab sanitation/GMPs.
• Strong computer skills.
• Efficiency mindset, focused on standardization and eliminating redundant steps.
• Strong attention to detail with meticulous accuracy in lot numbering, label creation, and technical document pairing.
• Understanding of the importance of sample turnaround speed related to commercial sales.
• Ability to prioritize competing fast-turn requests in a dynamic ingredient import environment.

About Brothers International Food

Brothers International brings the world's best fruit to its customers. Our Ingredients divisions supply every major food and beverage manufacturer in North America with fruits from the best growing regions of the world. Our CPG division sells market-leading branded and private label freeze-dried fruits to retailers nationwide.