QC Manager For a Beverage company

KL Beverages; Kamrup Metropolitan; On-site; INR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

KL Beverages in Assam seeks an experienced QC/QA professional to lead the beverage quality program across raw materials, in-process and finished products.

You will implement GMP, HACCP and ISO 22000 standards, supervise microbiological testing, manage the QC lab, train staff, and drive CAPA and continual improvement to ensure product safety and consistency.

Strong knowledge of FSSAI and packaging inspections, with ability to coordinate supplier and internal audits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of QC/QA experience in beverage, FMCG, food, dairy, or bottling industries.
• Hands-on testing of pH, Brix, acidity, carbonation, TSS, microbiological parameters, and other beverage quality metrics.
• Strong knowledge of FSSAI, GMP, GHP, HACCP, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000.
• Experience in raw material, packaging material, in-process and finished product inspection.
• Capability to lead and manage a QC team and coordinate audits.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain quality standards for all beverage products, raw materials, packaging materials, and finished products.
• Monitor quality at every production stage from raw material receipt to dispatch.
• Develop and implement QC procedures, specifications, inspection plans, and testing protocols.
• Inspect and approve incoming raw materials and packaging components; maintain records of inspections.
• Oversee in-process quality control and corrective actions for deviations.
• Test finished beverages and review lab results; maintain batch records and samples.
• Supervise microbiological testing and plant hygiene; coordinate with production to prevent contamination.
• Manage QC laboratory, equipment, chemicals, glassware, and consumables; ensure calibration and maintenance.
• Maintain QC documentation and prepare for internal and external audits; ensure GMP/HACCP/ISO compliance.
• Lead and train QC staff; manage shift operations and testing schedules.
• Coordinate audits (FSSAI, customer, third party, internal, and certification) and closure of observations.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and reduce quality losses.

Skills

Quality control

Quality assurance

GMP/GHP

HACCP

Audits

CAPA

Team leadership

Lab testing

QC statistics

Education

B.Sc./M.Sc. in Chemistry

B.Sc./M.Sc. in Microbiology

B.Sc./M.Sc. in Food Technology

B.Sc./M.Sc. in Dairy Technology

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Calibration tools

Job description

Role & responsibilities

1. Quality Control & Assurance

• Establish and maintain quality standards for all beverage products, raw materials, packaging materials, and finished products.
• Ensure products comply with FSSAI, BIS, legal, customer, and company quality requirements.
• Monitor quality at every stage of production, from raw material receipt to finished product dispatch.
• Develop and implement QC procedures, specifications, inspection plans, and testing protocols.

2. Raw Material & Packaging Material Inspection

• Inspect and approve incoming raw materials such as water, sugar, flavours, concentrates, preservatives, additives, etc.
• Check packaging materials including bottles, caps, labels, cartons, pouches, and other packing components.
• Maintain records of incoming material inspection and ensure proper sampling and testing.

3. In-Process Quality Control

• Monitor critical quality parameters during production, including:
  • pH
  • Brix
  • Acidity
  • CO level/carbonation
  • Temperature
  • Fill volume
  • Product appearance, colour, taste and odour
  • Bottle/cap integrity
• Ensure corrective action is taken whenever deviations are identified.

4. Finished Product Testing

• Ensure proper testing of finished beverages before release.
• Review laboratory test results and approve/reject batches based on defined specifications.
• Maintain batch-wise quality records and retain samples.

5. Microbiological & Hygiene Control

• Supervise microbiological testing of water, raw materials, products, equipment, and production environment.
• Monitor plant hygiene, personnel hygiene, sanitation, CIP, and cleaning practices.
• Coordinate with the production team to prevent contamination and microbiological risks.

6. Laboratory Management

• Manage the QC laboratory, testing equipment, chemicals, glassware, and consumables.
• Ensure calibration and maintenance of laboratory instruments.
• Establish proper laboratory practices and ensure test methods are followed accurately.
• Train QC chemists, technicians, and laboratory staff.

7. Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain QC records, batch reports, test reports, calibration records, COAs, specifications, and inspection reports.
• Prepare documentation required for internal and external audits.
• Ensure implementation of GMP, GHP, HACCP, ISO/FSSC 22000 and other applicable food-safety systems.

8. Non-Conformance & Corrective Action

• Identify quality deviations and investigate the root cause.
• Implement CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action).
• Monitor recurring quality issues and take preventive measures.
• Coordinate with Production, Maintenance, Purchase, and Stores for resolution of quality problems.

9. Supplier & Customer Quality

• Evaluate the quality performance of raw-material and packaging suppliers.
• Support supplier audits and quality improvement activities.
• Investigate customer complaints and prepare root-cause analysis and corrective actions.

10. Team Management

• Lead and supervise the QC team across shifts.
• Prepare work allocation and testing schedules.
• Conduct training on quality standards, laboratory procedures, hygiene, food safety, and safety practices.
• Ensure proper manpower deployment and discipline within the QC department.

11. Audit & Regulatory Responsibilities

• Coordinate FSSAI, customer, third-party, internal, and certification audits.
• Ensure timely closure of audit observations.
• Keep all licenses, test reports, specifications, and compliance documents updated.

12. Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to reduce product rejection, wastage, rework, and quality-related losses.
• Analyze quality trends and prepare periodic quality reports.
• Work closely with Production and R&D to improve product consistency and process efficiency.

Preferred candidate profile

• Education: B.Sc./M.Sc. in Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Technology, Dairy Technology, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum 6years of experience in Quality Control/Quality Assurance, preferably in the beverage, FMCG, food, dairy, or bottling industry.
• Strong knowledge of beverage manufacturing processes, quality parameters, and laboratory testing.
• Hands-on experience in testing pH, Brix, acidity, carbonation, TSS, microbiological parameters, and other beverage quality parameters.
• Good knowledge of FSSAI, GMP, GHP, HACCP, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000 and applicable food safety requirements.
• Experience in raw material, packaging material, in-process, and finished product inspection.
• Should have experience in QC laboratory management, calibration, validation, sampling, and documentation.
• Strong understanding of CAPA, root-cause analysis, deviation management, and customer complaint handling.
• Experience in handling internal, customer, FSSAI, and third-party audits.
• Should be capable of leading and managing a QC team, including shift-wise manpower and laboratory activities.