Quality Assurance Lead

About the role

Drive Quality. Make an Impact. Are you passionate about food safety and quality excellence? Do you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment where your expertise directly impacts product integrity and consumer trust? We are seeking a Quality Assurance Lead to help champion our food safety culture, support our growing operations, and lead a team dedicated to delivering high-quality products every day.

Responsibilities

• Food Safety & Quality Oversight
  • Lead quality assurance activities on the production floor to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and company standards.
  • Monitor production processes and verify adherence to product specifications, quality requirements, and food safety protocols.
  • Perform daily calibrations of scales, thermometers, and other quality-related equipment to ensure accurate measurements.
  • Investigate and resolve quality deviations, equipment issues, and out-of-specification findings.
  • Escalate critical food safety concerns, including CCP deviations, for immediate corrective action.
• Testing & Verification
  • Conduct and support environmental monitoring activities, including environmental swabbing programs.
  • Perform ATP verification and allergen testing while maintaining accurate documentation of results.
  • Troubleshoot issues identified during testing and implement corrective actions to reduce food safety risks.
• Documentation & Compliance
  • Maintain thorough and accurate quality records to support traceability, audits, and regulatory compliance.
  • Verify completion and accuracy of production records, line checks, inspection reports, and quality documentation.
  • Support internal audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
  • Document product holds, quality incidents, and corrective actions in accordance with company procedures.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and support to Quality Assurance Technicians.
  • Conduct onboarding, training, and retraining activities related to food safety and quality standards.
  • Identify development opportunities and help build technical capabilities across the QA team.
  • Make informed decisions regarding product disposition, inspections, and quality-related concerns.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Partner with Production, Operations, and other departments to resolve quality issues and prevent recurrence.
  • Support initiatives that strengthen food safety programs, improve operational performance, and enhance product quality.
  • Contribute ideas and recommendations in an environment that values collaboration and innovation.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of Quality Assurance experience within food manufacturing.
• 3+ years of overall food manufacturing experience, ideally within bakery, pizza, or related food production environments.
• 1+ year of leadership or supervisory experience with demonstrated success leading teams.
• Associate degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong knowledge of food safety regulations, quality systems, and audit requirements.
• Understanding of HACCP principles and Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCQI) requirements.
• Experience conducting calibrations, environmental monitoring, ATP testing, and allergen verification.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to confidently enforce food safety standards and make quality-related decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bakery or pizza manufacturing experience.
• PCQI and/or HACCP certification.
• Educational background or coursework in Chemistry, Food Science, Microbiology, or related disciplines.
• Experience supporting audits, regulatory inspections, and continuous improvement initiatives.