Quality Assurance Operative - Llangadog site

United Petfood; Llangadog; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

United Petfood Ltd is seeking a QA Operative to support the factory team in maintaining product quality, procedural compliance and CCP standards. You will conduct daily checks, document SOPs and assist with production to ensure timely, compliant outputs.

The role requires keen attention to quality and hygiene, with responsibilities covering raw materials, calibration, testing, and shift reporting. A hands-on position in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Ensuring Quality targets are met within deadlines and costs.
• Adhering to SOPs and company policies across departments.
• Maintaining housekeeping and hygiene to high standards.

Responsibilities

• Support Production Operations by converting material into WIP or finished product.
• Document and train SOPs for manufacturing processes.
• Carry out CCP checks and document findings.
• Report production issues with escalation when needed.
• Perform raw material checks against supplier specs (Chilled, Frozen, Ambient).
• Oversee start-ups, changeovers and shift handover continuity.
• Monitor process capability through key checks (metal detection, pH, temp).
• Complete QA shift reports and communicate with relevant departments.

Skills

Quality control

HACCP

SOP adherence

Team support

Good housekeeping

Attention to detail

PPE compliance

Tools

pH meter

NIR testing

Job description

HOURS OF WORK

Your normal hours of work are 40 hours per week, with 1x 30mins paid break along with an additional 3 hours paid as a goodwill.

Number of hours worked = 37.50 Paid hours = 43

Shift A – 10pm to 6am Sunday to Thursday

Shift C – 2pm to 10pm Monday to Friday

Shift B – 6am to 2pm Monday to Friday

Basic Function:

To form an integral part of the factory team with a key focus on product quality, correct procedures and standards by providing daily support and assistance to all team members. To help the team in achieving all goals and targets including: Quality, CCP compliance, microbiological standards. To achieve success in this position it is critical that the QA Operative make United Petfood Ltd Purpose Vision & Values real within the factory.

Key Duties:

General Duties

• Ensuring Quality targets are met within deadlines, without compromising quality or control of costs.

• Ensuring good housekeeping is maintained.

• Ensuring that Quality, H&S and other Company policies are adhered to and liaising with relevant departments to ensure issues are resolved

.

• Maintaining good employee relations and promoting equality of opportunity

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• Ensuring relevant SOP’s are adhered to.

Specific QA Duties

· Support Production Operations - Support and manage the team to convert material into work in progress (WIP) or finished product by formally executing production schedule. Use short interval control to ensure standard line output is achieved.

· Document and train SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) - Develop and ensure compliance to SOP’s for process related manufacturing jobs.

· Standard Confirmation - Check that standards set within the factory are adhered to through inspection and simple audit.

· Identify, Rectify & Report Production Issues - Support the production team by rectifying / escalating any production issues as they occur including: process, equipment, product quality, safety issues, etc. Document the issues according to standard operating procedures and report them for further investigation and problem solving.

· Raw Material Checks – Check and report on intake checks carried out against supplier specifications on Chilled, Frozen and Ambient raw materials received to site.

· Start-ups, Changeovers and Shift Handover - Monitor team member activities during set-up & changeover as defined in SOP’s and complete / receive relevant hand-over documentation / communication to next shift / from previous shift to ensure continuity.

· CCP’s – Carry out CCP checks on Seam and Cooling water and document, monitor and report findings.

· Process Capability – Monitor, record and report on key processes e.g. metal detection, seam checks, retort water quality (chlorine levels & dip slides), weight control, visual product checks, pH & temperature checks.

· Warehouse Checks – Monitor and report on packing line checks carried out against agreed standards. Monitor and report on the despatch of finished products.

· Finished Product Checks – Carry out finished product panel checks for visual, pH, NIR, organoleptic and photography and fill out record and transfer photos to relevant files.

· Incubation testing – Test and report on customer / export products that require incubation.

· Shelf life – Test and report on random shelf life testing of finished products.

· Calibration – Weekly temperature probe checks against master probe.

· Effluent Water – Check, record and report test results.

· Water Testing (Cooling Tower, Borehole & Boiler) – Check, record and report test results.

· Reporting – Complete the QA shift report and email it to all relevant departments at the end of the last shift.

· Absenteeism Cover - Cover essential elements of Quality Supervisor role in the event of unplanned absenteeism. Arrange cover for unplanned absenteeism of Team Member or where this is not possible conduct the Team Members duties for the duration of the absence.

Health and Safety Duties

• Maintaining H&S and hygiene standards in accordance with Company rules and regulations.

• Ensuring that all staff and visitors in the department wear appropriate PPE at all times.

Other Duties

• Carrying out other associated duties.

General:

All employees are engaged on the principle that due to pressure of work, or other fluctuating circumstances, they may be asked to carry out any reasonable task.