Quality Control Food Technician I

Description

About US Spice Mills

Join our US Spice Mills Team, a major supplier of pure spices to the U.S. food industry and global market for 40 years. We are SQF and Kosher Certified and offer a full line of pure spices, herbs and customized seasonings. If you want a company where your hard work is seen, your ideas are heard and your career can grow, you’ve found it. We take pride in running a fast-paced, high-energy facility.

Position Summary

We are looking to Hire a Quality Control (QC) Food Technician I for our Glendale Heights, IL spice plant. In this role you will inspect, sample and test incoming raw spices, in-process products and finished goods to make sure every lot meets customer specifications and food safety standards.

The QC Food Technician I works on the production floor and in the in-house lab alongside Production, Warehouse and Quality staff. You will run routine tests, keep accurate records and help maintain our SQF, GMP, HACCP and Kosher programs. Full on-the-job training/shadowing is provided.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Inspection & Sampling

• Inspect and sample incoming raw spices, herbs and packaging against specifications and certificates of analysis (COAs).
• Perform in-process checks on milling, grinding, sifting and blending lines, including particle size (mesh), color and appearance.
• Inspect finished goods for net weight, seal integrity, labeling, lot codes and packaging defects.
• Verify metal detectors, magnets and sifter screens at scheduled intervals and record results.

Laboratory Testing

• Run routine tests such as moisture, ASTA color, volatile oil, mesh/screen analysis, bulk density and extraneous matter.
• Conduct sensory evaluations (aroma, flavor, color) against approved standards.
• Collect and prepare samples for outside microbiological testing (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli, yeast and mold) and track results.
• Calibrate and maintain lab equipment such as scales, moisture analyzers and sieve shakers.

Food Safety, Sanitation and GMP

• Follow and help enforce GMP, HACCP, SQF and allergen control programs on the production floor.
• Conduct pre-operational sanitation inspections, environmental swabbing (ATP) and GMP audits.
• Place nonconforming products on hold, document the issue and notify the QA Supervisor.

Documentation and Traceability

• Record all inspections and test results accurately and on time, on paper and in the quality system.
• Maintain retained samples and lot records; support lot traceability exercises and mock recalls.
• Help prepare documentation for customer, Kosher and SQF audits.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned by the Quality Manager.

Requirements

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• 1–2 years of quality control, lab or production experience, preferably in food, ingredient or other regulated manufacturing industries.
• Basic math skills for weights, percentages and unit conversions.
• Strong attention to detail and accurate, neat record keeping.
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Word, email and data entry).
• Ability to follow written procedures (SOPs) and communicate issues clearly.
• Good color vision and sense of smell for sensory evaluation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree (or coursework) in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry or a related field.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP and SQF requirements.
• PCQI or HACCP Certification is a plus.
• Experience with lab instruments such as moisture analyzers, sieve shakers or spectrophotometers.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills desired.

Compensation and Benefits:

Pay Rate Range: $20-$22 per hour, based on experience.

Benefits: Group Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance; Paid Time Off (PTO); and Paid Holidays.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Physical demands

• Must be able to work around strong spice aromas.
• Stand and walk for most of the shift; bend, reach, kneel and climb stairs or step ladders to pull samples.
• Use both hands for fine motor tasks; distinguish colors and read scales and gauges.

Work environment

• Quality lab and production floor with airborne spice dust, strong aromas and irritants (e.g., chili, black pepper, garlic).
• Strict GMP dress code only in the production area: hairnets and beard nets, no jewelry, plant-issued uniforms and safety footwear.

Tools and equipment used: scales and balances, moisture analyzers, sieve shakers and mesh screens, color meters, metal detector test wands, ATP swab meters, computers and handheld scanners.

Disclaimer and Equal Opportunity

Disclaimer: This description summarizes the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and management may assign other related tasks. Employment is at will.

Equal Opportunity: U.S. Spice Mills, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified applicants receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. We believe that diversity of thought, background, and experience strengthens our team and helps us better serve our customers.