QC Specialist

The Jel Sert Company marks a major milestone this year, 100 years of success, innovation, and industry leadership. The Jel Sert Company has focused on creating high-quality, high-value foods and beverages that help bring people together. Jel Sert is proud to have been awarded the Great Place to Work certification and recognized as the Best Workplace to Work in Chicago and the Best Workplace to Work in Manufacturing and Production. We are currently seeking a passionate, dedicated individual to join our team as a QC SPECIALIST.If you are looking for a work environment that encourages personal growth, responsibility, and a shared vision for creating incredible products that help create lasting memories, then Jel Sert wants you!

The Quality Control Specialist has broad responsibility for Quality Control auditing of finished goods and manufacturing facilities. This position will also be responsible for database maintenance, troubleshooting, and product disposition, product hold/release authority, quality inspection, investigation, and reporting issues associated with Food Safety and Quality. This position may require the employee to work overtime as needed. Overtime is scheduled based upon individual job responsibilities and the needs of the department. This position requires employees to receive cross-training in other QC functions to provide backup support as needed.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESinclude the following:

• Responsible for data entry, managing, and utilizing data information within the company databases.
• Presiding over facilities sanitation practices, performing inspection of equipment, and or manufacturing processes.
• Conformance to GMP guidelines and all company policies/procedures.
• Inspection of Finished Goods, representing Medical Foods, Dietary Supplements, and other high-profile contract customer products.
• Identify non-conforming conditions within the manufacturing environment and in products and materials, based on their compliance with food safety and food quality.
• Responsible for placing non-conforming products and materials or products that do not conform to specifications into hold status.
• Ensure appropriate communication of food Safety and Quality issues with Production Supervisors, Managers, and other facility personnel as required.
• Initiates investigations into the causes of material or product non-conformances, gathering pertinent information (documents, interviews, graphic and physical evidence, etc.) without prompting from the supervisor. * Investigates customer complaints with guidance from the supervisor.
• Perform audits in accordance with SQF guidelines: Hard Plastic, Processing Line, X-Ray, etc.
• Make suggestions to improve plant safety, food safety, and product quality.
• Make suggestions to increase efficiency and cost savings within the department, and actively participate in implementing one's own or others' ideas.
• Gather finished good samples per program requirements.
• Provide hands-on training to plant employees as directed.
• Other duties may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, the individual must maintain confidentiality and be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The Jel Sert Company is committed to pay transparency and will provide further compensation information during the interview process. Theminimum hourly compensation for the Quality Control Specialist is $25.00. Compensation is determined by a candidate's experience, education, skills, training, and the internal equity within our organization. The actual compensation to be paid will be determined upon receipt of an offer. In addition to a competitive compensation package, regular full-time corporate employees of Jel Sert are eligible for our extensive benefits programs that can be reviewed by clicking here.

EDUCATION and/or WORK EXPERIENCE

• 1-3 years' quality control experience in the food/beverage industry or other food sector industry.
• Internal auditing, CAPA investigations and training of personnel a plus.
• Must be able to complete a skills assessment test to assess basic skills needed in the position.
• PCQI certification or commensurate food safety & quality work history and experience required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

• Good Computer skills (e-mail, internet use, basic skills in MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint).
• Good written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish are required.
• Ability to work in a team-based environment.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proactive behavior (take initiatives/make suggestions/follow up with limited Supervision).
• Good analytical skills (observation, attention to detail, problem-solving).
• Desire to learn, take on challenges, and responsibilities. Cross-training in other Quality Areas, such as Incoming Inspection/Lab. Flexibility to adapt to change.
• Basic math skills: Arithmetic, percentages, ratios, measurements.
• Ability to multitask, organize, and prioritize tasks.
• Good conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
• Identify and communicate unsafe work conditions to the supervisor.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward, or outward.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul, or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to position.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm, as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture, by touching skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and make fine discriminations in sound.
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Medium work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and visual inspection.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Office/Laboratory/Manufacturing Facility environment with exposure to some allergen production.

• Subject to allergens.
• Working at times within a dusty production environment.
• Subject to noise: There is sufficient noise to cause the worker to shout to be heard above the ambient noise level.
• Subject to hazards: Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, and exposure to high heat.

FOOD SAFETY and QUALITY RESPONSIBILITIES

Follow applicable work instructions and procedures. Responsible for monitoring and auditing CCPs and CQPs as needed. Responsible for monitoring compliance with and abiding by the prerequisite programs. Backup redundant

IMPACT ON JEL SERT SUCCESS

The job is essential to ensure all products are produced within Jel Sert and/or customer specifications, so the products are safe for consumption and meet quality requirements.