Food Quality & Safety Specialist — Job Description
Job Summary
We are seeking a knowledgeable and detail-oriented Food Quality & Safety Specialist to ensure that food products, processes, and facilities comply with applicable food safety regulations, quality standards, and company requirements. The successful candidate will monitor food safety systems, conduct inspections and audits, investigate quality issues, support regulatory compliance, and promote a strong food safety culture throughout the organization.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop, implement, monitor, and maintain food quality and food safety systems.
- Ensure compliance with applicable food safety laws, regulations, standards, and customer requirements.
- Monitor and maintain HACCP, GMP, GHP, and other applicable food safety programs.
- Conduct regular inspections of production areas, storage facilities, equipment, and food-handling processes.
- Monitor critical control points (CCPs) and ensure corrective actions are implemented when limits are exceeded.
- Perform internal food safety, hygiene, and quality audits.
- Inspect raw materials, ingredients, packaging materials, finished products, and storage conditions.
- Monitor temperature control, sanitation, personal hygiene, allergen control, pest control, and cross-contamination prevention.
- Collect samples and coordinate microbiological, chemical, physical, and other laboratory testing where required.
- Investigate customer complaints, product defects, non-conformities, and food safety incidents.
- Conduct root-cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Maintain accurate records of inspections, audits, testing, corrective actions, and food safety activities.
- Assist with supplier evaluations, audits, and approval of food and packaging suppliers.
- Review product specifications, labels, ingredients, and food safety documentation.
- Support product traceability, recall, withdrawal, and incident-management procedures.
- Monitor cleaning and sanitation programs and verify their effectiveness.
- Conduct food safety and hygiene training for employees and food-handling personnel.
- Promote awareness of food safety standards and good hygiene practices throughout the organization.
- Prepare quality and food safety reports for management.
- Support external audits, regulatory inspections, customer audits, and certification assessments.
- Monitor changes in food safety legislation, standards, customer requirements, and industry best practices.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in food quality, safety, hygiene, and operational processes.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Nutrition, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Relevant experience in food quality assurance, food safety, production, laboratory, or quality control is preferred.
- Training or certification in HACCP, Food Safety, GMP, Internal Auditing, or related systems is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of applicable food safety regulations and recognized food safety management systems.
- Experience with ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, or similar standards is an advantage.
Required Skills
- Strong knowledge of food safety and quality-control principles.
- Good understanding of HACCP, GMP, sanitation, hygiene, and allergen-control practices.
- Strong inspection, auditing, and documentation skills.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to conduct root-cause analysis and implement effective corrective actions.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to food safety.
- Good communication, training, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work effectively with production, procurement, warehouse, and management teams.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and quality-management systems.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet regulatory and operational deadlines.
- Strong commitment to ethical standards, consumer safety, and continuous improvement.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Compliance with food safety and quality standards.
- HACCP and CCP monitoring compliance.
- Reduction in food safety incidents and product non-conformities.
- Completion of internal inspections and audits on schedule.
- Timely closure of corrective and preventive actions.
- Customer complaint rate and resolution time.
- Compliance with sanitation, hygiene, and GMP requirements.
- Accuracy and completeness of food safety documentation.
- Successful completion of regulatory, customer, and certification audits.
- Employee participation and compliance with food safety training.
