Quality Technician (Night Shift)

IRCA is a leading international provider of semi-finished ingredients for the bakery, pastry, and gelato markets, serving independent producers as well as large food manufacturers (e.g., CPG). Core products include chocolate, chocolate decorations, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, and other bakery/pastry ingredients. Headquartered in Italy, IRCA was acquired by Advent International, a global private equity firm, in July 2022. The company has a strong growth track record, with recent bolt-on acquisitions in candied fruits (Cesarin) and pistachio ingredients (Anastasi) and is pursuing a transformative deal to create a global leader in semi-finished ingredients, with 22 manufacturing facilities across Europe, the US, and Vietnam, and combined revenues of €1 billion (2022).

About the role

This position is responsible for laboratory operations, including product testing, internal audits, and monitoring production quality. The QA Laboratory Technician ensures all products meet Food Safety and Food Quality requirements, disposes of products (approvals, holds, releases), and approves packaging materials and labels.

Responsibilities

• Adhere to good laboratory practices (GLP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), and safety requirements.
• Perform daily laboratory operations, including chemical analysis, product approvals, Certificates of Analysis (COA), and specifications to meet production orders.
• Maintain incoming and outgoing products (tracking, analysis, record keeping, database management).
• Maintain product retains and perform equipment calibration in the lab and plant.
• Assist in general audits of the quality system and maintain laboratory inventory.
• Cover for other technicians during vacations or absences.
• Maintain and understand product specifications, SDS, TDS, and kosher documents.
• Analyze test data to determine acceptability and disposition of produced and incoming materials.
• Approve packaging and labels for use.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Two to three years of laboratory experience, with knowledge of food manufacturing and sensory analysis.
• Familiarity with quality assurance programs and basic computer skills.
• College-level coursework in chemistry or pertinent job-related experience is preferred.
• Minimum high school diploma.
• Ability to perform arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rates, ratios, percentages, and interpret bar graphs.
• Strong logical and deductive reasoning skills to evaluate test data and determine process control adherence.
• Ability to present information effectively in one-on-one and small group settings.

Work Environment

• Exposure to a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions.
• Handling of hazardous chemicals and exposure to microbiological organisms.
• Requires work in the production environment, climbing ladders, and moderate lifting (under 25 lbs.).

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, & Vision coverage.
• 401(k) matching.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Employee Education Tuition Reimbursement Program.