Job Title: Lab Technician

Job Description

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Quality Line Tech to join our team. This role is essential in ensuring that our beverages—including juices, teas, waters, and concentrates—meet the highest standards of food safety, quality, and customer satisfaction throughout the manufacturing process.

Responsibilities

• Conduct standardized analytical tests on juice, drinks, waters, teas, and concentrates, including pH, TA, vitamin C, °Brix, color, clarity, and turbidity, to ensure compliance with specifications; record results as applicable.
• Use sensory analysis (flavor, odor, visual) to ensure that products meet specific characteristics at blending and finished good sections. Along with any other necessary testing needs that may arise.
• Support bulk and raw material sampling, testing, and release as needed. Additional testing includes: sensory, pH, viscosity, Brix, Acid.
• Perform pre-operational verifications and line clearance at the start of the shift and at flavor/label changes.
• Carry out and document hourly quality line checks analytical, labeling, and packaging.
• Accurately maintain records and documents testing information and results in real time in compliance with procedures and regulations.
• Identify and communicate issues regarding aseptic production matters.
• Define and solve problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions.
• Document and provide support for investigations pertaining to quality issues requiring resolution. Documentation includes: OOS, NCR, and Deviations.
• Support product and package analysis on the Aseptic Line. Demonstrate ability to support production lines by answering quality related questions and ensuring that the department is meeting the required quality standards.
• Execute routine laboratory work and microbial testing of finished goods, bulk, and raw materials for compliance to identified organisms of interest under FDA, SQF, and other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Respond to Food Safety and Quality incidents, review, and verify Critical Control Points and execute the environmental monitoring program.
• Assist in sampling, placing items on QA hold, physically & electronically in QAD, evaluating and releasing holds for proper disposition.
• In coordination with the Quality Assurance and/or Production Manager, discard or reject materials not meeting specifications or other requirements.
• Assist in performing calibration and logging results of all lab and floor instrumentation when requested.
• Provide additional QA presence in problem-solving and special project management (e.g., rework operations, downtime activities, etc.).
• As part of QA presence in the plant, make observations and corrections related to SQF, GMP, regulatory, quality, sanitation, and employee safety concerns.
• Participate in the employee training program.
• Follow safe work practices and be proactive in implementing safety and housekeeping improvements.
• Complete all other duties as assigned.

Essential Skills

• 1 to 3 years of relevant experience.
• High School Diploma or GED Equivalent.
• Ability to learn analytical and lab-related responsibilities.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to direct, coach, and train others.
• Computer literate.
• Detail-oriented and able to multi-task.
• Three months of manufacturing experience.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in the food/beverage industry or GMP environment.
• Experience with microbiology lab techniques.
• Credibility and integrity.
• Build and maintain professional relationships.
• Associate’s degree or higher in general science, food science, microbiology, or a related field.

Work Environment

This position will be on the manufacturing floor working hand-in-hand with the production operators. The work environment is a very clean food supplier, where you will engage in sampling and testing on the manufacturing floor. It is a dynamic setting where safety and quality are paramount.