Quality Assurance Technician

Gwillimdale Farms; Bradford West Gwillimbury; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A family-owned farm in Bradford is seeking a detail-oriented QA Technician to ensure product integrity from harvest to storage. The role involves hands-on quality monitoring, data collection, and compliance with food safety standards. Ideal candidates will have experience in agriculture and strong observational skills, thriving in both outdoor and cold storage environments.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years in a QA, food safety, or inspection role within agriculture.
• Exposure to field harvest processes is preferred.
• Familiarity with food safety frameworks is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Conduct in-field inspections of harvested crops.
• Monitor proper handling and loading practices.
• Inspect inbound loads for quality and temperature.

Skills

Attention to detail

Observation skills

Communication skills

Data collection

Tools

QA software

Excel

Job description

Who We Are

Family-owned and operated in beautiful Bradford, Ontario, Gwillimdale Farms does more than just grow vegetables—we are growing our business. We supply fresh, high-quality produce locally and abroad, partnering with retailers, food service providers, and wholesale distributors. We believe our greatest asset is our team, and we continuously strive to create a better work environment by focusing on safety, education, and personal development.

Job Summary

We are currently seeking a full-time QA Technician to support Gwillimdale’s harvest and storage operations through hands-on quality monitoring, data collection, process documentation and food safety program compliance. This role is critical to ensuring that crops meet internal standards and customer specifications from the field, to cold storage, to customer. The QA Technician will maintain a strong presence during active harvest in the fields and shift to storage areas to monitor incoming product quality, storage conditions, and traceability.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, dependable, and thrives in outdoor and fast-paced environments. They will work cross-functionally with field supervisors, harvest crews, and post-harvest and storage teams to ensure product integrity across the entire chain of custody. Flexibility is key, especially during peak harvest season when extended hours may be required.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Conduct in-field inspections of harvested crops for quality indicators such as size, shape, color, temperature and defects
• Perform sampling during harvest to verify that products meet internal and customer specifications
• Observe and document crop damage, disease presence, or contamination in real time and report deviations
• Monitor proper handling and loading practices during harvest to prevent bruising, contamination, or spoilage
• Upon arrival at storage, inspect inbound loads for quality, temperature, and cleanliness
• Record storage bin assignments, lot traceability data, and any quality deviations observed upon intake
• Verify that storage temperatures, humidity, and airflow conditions are within acceptable ranges
• Conduct visual checks of product during storage to flag signs of breakdown, rot, or sprouting
• Maintain quality and food safety logs for both field and storage areas in accordance with audit standards
• Assist in maintaining calibration and cleanliness of QA tools and monitoring equipment
• Support training of harvest and storage teams on quality expectations and safe handling procedures
• Coordinate with the food safety team during internal inspections or third-party audits
  
  

Food Safety Responsibilities

• Ensure field harvest crews and storage staff adhere to hygiene, sanitation, and PPE protocols
• Confirm cleaning and sanitation status of the facilities
• Verification of records for chemical applications, harvest dates, lot numbers, and storage intake
• Assist with traceability documentation and pre-audit readiness for both harvest and storage zones
• Reinforce chemical and allergen control practices within harvest and storage workflows
• Identify any gaps in processes, verification steps or documentation related to CanadaGAP or food safety & quality such as Standard Operating Procedures, logs or record keeping
• Create and maintain documentation of all food safety and quality assurance related tasks to assist in enhancing the Farm related document repository
• Conduct facility inspections and report non-compliances as required for third party audit readiness
• Escalate any non-conformances and support implementation of corrective actions
  
  

Experience

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• 1–3 years in a QA, food safety, or inspection role within agriculture, food production, or cold storage
• Exposure to field harvest processes, root vegetable handling, or post-harvest intake is preferred
• Familiarity with GAP, GMP, HACCP, or other food safety frameworks is an asset
  
  

Skills

• High attention to detail and strong observation skills in field and indoor storage environments
• Ability to work independently in physically demanding conditions (outdoors and cold storage, lifting of 50 lbs)
• Solid communication skills to interact with cross-functional teams and escalate issues promptly
• Organized with strong data collection and documentation abilities
• Proficiency with basic digital tools for data entry (tablets, QA software, or Excel)
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is an asset but not required