Position Summary
The Quality Assurance Technician supports the effectiveness of Hela Spice Canada Inc.’s food safety and quality systems by completing inspections, sampling, testing, verification, documentation, and follow-up activities throughout receiving, production, packaging, warehousing, and laboratory operations. The role works closely with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, R&D, Logistics, and other departments to ensure ingredients and finished products consistently meet company, customer, regulatory, and certification requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Quality and Food Safety Monitoring
- Perform routine quality and food safety inspections in receiving, batching, production, packaging, warehousing, and other assigned areas.
- Verify compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), HACCP/food safety plans, allergen controls, sanitation requirements, foreign-material controls, glass and brittle-plastic programs, and company procedures.
- Monitor product and process controls, including weights, labels, lot codes, packaging integrity, metal detection and other critical or quality-control checks, as assigned.
- Identify, document, communicate, and escalate food safety, quality, regulatory, or customer-risk concerns promptly; support immediate containment and disposition activities.
- Place product or materials on hold when authorized or directed and maintain accurate hold/release identification and records.
Sampling, Testing and Laboratory Support
- Collect representative samples of raw materials, packaging, work-in-process, environmental sites, and finished products in accordance with approved plans and procedures.
- Conduct or coordinate routine physical, chemical, organoleptic, microbiological, environmental, or other testing within the scope of approved methods and training.
- Support the basic operation, cleaning, calibration verification, monitoring, and organization of microbiology and quality-control laboratory equipment.
- Prepare samples for internal or external laboratory analysis; maintain sample identification, chain of custody, retains, and related records.
- Review results for completeness and conformance to specifications and immediately report abnormal, out-of-specification, or potentially unsafe results.
Documentation and Quality Systems
- Complete quality records accurately, legibly, and in real time; review production and quality documentation for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and required approvals.
- Maintain controlled forms, logs, specifications, certificates of analysis, laboratory records, calibration records, and electronic quality data in accordance with document-control and retention requirements.
- Assist with investigations of deviations, non-conformances, customer complaints, foreign-material events, out-of-specification results, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Support traceability exercises, mock recalls, product withdrawals/recalls, mass-balance activities, and annual inventory activities when required.
- Assist with the collection and organization of records for internal, customer, certification, and regulatory audits; participate in audits and follow-up actions as assigned.
- Follow the Quality Control Handbook, approved work instructions, specifications, food safety plans, and all other applicable Hela policies and procedures.
Production, Sanitation and Cross-Functional Support
- Provide timely quality guidance to production employees and supervisors and communicate issues clearly at shift handovers and during daily operations.
- Perform pre-operational inspections, sanitation verification, line-clearance and changeover checks, allergen-cleaning verification, and related activities as assigned.
- Verify that corrective actions are implemented and effective before affected operations or products proceed, within the authority of the role.
- Support employee training and reinforcement of GMP, HACCP, allergen, hygiene, sampling, and documentation requirements.
- Work cooperatively with all departments to protect product integrity, support customer service, and promote continuous improvement.
- Perform other quality assurance, quality control, laboratory, inventory, and operational duties reasonably assigned.
Qualifications
- Minimum five (5) years of hands-on quality assurance or quality control experience in food manufacturing, spice or seasoning production, ingredient processing, meat or prepared foods, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or another closely related regulated manufacturing environment.
- Post-secondary diploma or degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Quality Assurance, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of relevant education and progressively responsible experience may be considered.
- Strong statistical knowledge and analytical skills required.
- Practical knowledge of GMP, HACCP-based food safety systems, allergen control, sanitation, traceability, product holds, non-conformance management, and controlled documentation.
- Experience with routine laboratory practices, sampling plans, specifications, certificates of analysis, and interpretation of test results.
- Experience working under a recognized food safety certification standard such as BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000, or an equivalent standard is strongly preferred.
- HACCP certification and internal-auditor training are considered strong assets.
- Experience in dry-blending, spices, seasonings, allergens, microbiological sampling, environmental monitoring, or supplier/raw-material quality is an asset.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn ERP, laboratory, document-control, and quality-management systems.
Core Competencies
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, organization, and follow-through.
- Sound judgment and the confidence to raise, document, and escalate quality or food safety concerns.
- Clear written and verbal communication and the ability to work respectfully with employees at all levels.
- Ability to prioritize changing demands, meet deadlines, and work independently while contributing to a collaborative team.
- Analytical problem-solving skills and a practical, continuous-improvement mindset.
- Integrity, professionalism, discretion, accountability, and commitment to Hela’s best interests.
Physical and Working Conditions
- Work is performed in laboratory, office, production, warehouse.
- Regular standing and walking throughout the facility, with periods of sitting and computer work.
- Frequent use of hands for sampling, testing, documentation, and handling small instruments or containers.
- Ability to lift and carry samples, materials, or equipment up to 20 kg (44 lb), with assistance or mechanical aids where required.
- May be exposed to food ingredients, spices, dust, strong aromas, allergens, cleaning chemicals, noise, and moving equipment; required personal protective equipment must be worn.
- Must be able to work the scheduled shift and provide reasonable flexibility for production needs, investigations, audits, inventory, or coverage.
Health, Safety and Conduct Expectations
- Work in full compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations, company safety rules, and required safe-work procedures. Immediately report hazards, incidents, injuries, illnesses, and unsafe conditions.
- Follow all timekeeping, attendance, break, hygiene, security, confidentiality, and workplace conduct requirements.
- Treat others with respect, trust, transparency, and honesty; communicate openly, listen actively, share knowledge, and cooperate across departments.
- Protect confidential company, customer, supplier, formula, specification, test-result, and employee information.
- Act at all times in the best interests of Hela Spice Canada Inc. and its food safety and quality culture.
