Quality Engineer
Company: SunOpta
Location: Allentown
Posted on: March 15, 2023
Job Description:
SunOpta Overview:
SunOpta Inc. is a leader in the plant-based foods and beverages,
fruit-based foods and beverages, and organic ingredient sourcing
industries. SunOpta is focused on sustainability and specializes in
the sourcing, processing, and packaging of organic, conventional,
non-GMO food products.
SunOpta is looking for talented individuals that demonstrate our
most valued behaviors: Passion, Dedication, Speed,
Entrepreneurship, Customer-Centricity, and Problem-Solver, to help
create a brighter, healthier, and sustainable future of food!
Job Summary:
This position is responsible for developing and managing product
integration, productivity, and engagement in continuous improvement
(CI) of the FS&Q systems. The role is designed to proactively
prevent internal failures; develop initiatives to improve plant
performance against SunOpta FS&Q measures resulting in reduced
product holds and customer complaints; and ensure plant compliance
with company and regulatory standards.
Successful candidate must be able to communicate well with internal
and external partners, e.g., Tetra Pak, IEH laboratories, Corporate
R&D, Plant Operations and SunOpta's Thermal Process
Authority.
This position reports to the Senior Product Manager.
Essential Functions of the Job:
- Demonstrate integrity, respect, teamwork, and equity in all
aspects of the job including dealing with employees and customers,
ensure the plant is running to target, and that all product and
equipment critical factors are base-line set and center-lines are
defined.
- Provide technical expertise to all departments in the areas of
continuous process improvement, statistical process control,
regulatory compliance, and process/product specification
development.
- Provide subject matter expertise for Food Safety & Quality
throughout the product development lifecycle and commercialization
process by collaborating with R&D, Operations, and Engineering
to ensure successful commercialization and turnover of new products
in addition to existing product and process changes.
- Lead execution of R&D concepts/design through successful
plant start-up:
- For new products, lead the Post Launch Review (PLR) process to
reconcile manufacturing capability against design.
- For existing/legacy products, lead SPC review to reconcile
manufacturing capability against design and work with Senior
Product Manager and Customer to execute required specification or
product changes.
- For equipment, this refers to completion of proper change
management protocol in Intelex.
- Request/support specification deviation approvals (ingredient,
packaging, & finished product) as needed.
- Support Installation Qualification (IQ) / Operational
Qualification (OQ) / Product Qualification (PQ) activities
onsite
- Identify, champion, and lead to execution plant network-wide CI
initiatives and projects including, but not limited to:
- Cost savings/productivity (ex. weight control)
- Run efficiencies (ex. extended runs, CIP/sanitation
optimization)
- Improved design for food safety/quality (ex. bulk oil delivery
vs. pre-weigh)
- Implementation and execution of RedZone Compliance module
- Understanding sources of variation and applying appropriate
tools for evaluating process inputs, experimental design,
evaluation, and deployment of optimized production standards.
- Design and implementation of adequate tests and procedures to
provide statistically significant controls for the safe manufacture
of products.
- Leading and facilitating Root Cause Investigation events using
a systematic approach.
- Manages customers and products together with plant leadership,
QA, and R&D.
- Acts as the plant liaison for production trials (on-site Plant
Trial Coordinator)
- Batch sheet development and product integration into the plant
portfolio of products.
- Second level review of batch sheets for new items
- First level modification and review of changes to existing
batch sheets
- Other duties and special projects as assigned. Supervisory
Responsibilities:
- None to start, potential depending on development path of
candidate. Minimum Qualifications:
- BS/MS in Food Science/Microbiology/Engineering required and/or
extensive quality and product specific experience with a technical
degree.
- Experience developing quality and food safety systems needed to
manage low acid aseptic processing systems and compositionally
stable products.
- 3-5years of experience in a food manufacturing
environment.
- Knowledge of Continuous Improvement Practices, willingness to
obtain green and black belts Preferred Qualifications:
- Bilingual in Spanish is beneficial, but not required. Knowledge
and Skills:
- Must exhibit strong communication skills (verbal, written,
presentation) as this role is key in informing the business team of
the current state of FS&Q on new and established businesses
while also ensuring the business team is informed, and has the
necessary information, to make risk-based business decisions.
- Must possess a strong working knowledge of food safety, SQF,
HACCP, GMP's, FSMA requirements, sanitary design and controls, food
regulations, statistical process control and basic food
technology.
- Ability to create momentum, influence cross-functional teams,
and foster organizational change. Additional Considerations:
- Travel Expectation: Up to 10%; Emergency travel is sometimes
required with little notice.
- Location: This role will be based at the SunOpta
Beverage/Aseptic Allentown facility
- Work Environment: Approximately 50% of work is performed in an
office/laboratory environment; 50% of work involves being in
manufacturing / production environment. Please note this job
description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive
listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required
of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and
activities may change at any time, with or without notice.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
EOE M/W/VET/DISABLED
Other details
- Job Family Quality Assurance
- Job Function Non-manager
- Pay Type Salary
- Travel Required Yes
- Required Education Bachelor's Degree
Apply Now
Keywords: SunOpta, Allentown , Quality Engineer, Engineering , Allentown, Pennsylvania
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