Feed Quality Specialist

Gold-Eagle Cooperative; Eagle Grove (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Gold-Eagle Cooperative in Iowa is seeking a Feed Operations Quality Specialist to support feed quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across our feed manufacturing facilities. This role partners with mill management and operations teams to ensure products meet company standards and customer expectations while fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

You will help implement and maintain quality and safety programs, conduct inspections, track

Qualifications

• Degree in agriculture, animal science, food science, or related field preferred.
• At least 2 years in feed manufacturing, agriculture, food production, QA, or compliance.
• Knowledge of feed manufacturing processes and industry regulations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Support implementation and maintenance of feed quality and food safety programs.
• Assist in developing, maintaining, and updating food safety plans, procedures, and documentation.
• Conduct routine inspections and audits of manufacturing processes, ingredient handling, storage, and finished feed.
• Monitor and verify compliance with established quality standards and operating procedures.
• Investigate quality concerns and support corrective and preventive action initiatives.
• Coordinate feed sampling, testing, and record retention activities.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Food Safety

Regulatory Knowledge

Analytical Thinking

Communication

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree in agriculture

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

Position Summary

The Feed Operations Quality Specialist is responsible for supporting and maintaining feed quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across feed manufacturing facilities. This position works closely with feed mill management, operations personnel, and leadership teams to ensure products meet company quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations while promoting a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Support implementation and maintenance of feed quality and food safety programs.
• Assist in developing, maintaining, and updating food safety plans, procedures, and documentation.
• Conduct routine inspections and audits of manufacturing processes, ingredient handling, storage, and finished feed.
• Monitor and verify compliance with established quality standards and operating procedures.
• Investigate quality concerns and support corrective and preventive action initiatives.
• Coordinate feed sampling, testing, and record retention activities.

Position Summary

The Feed Operations Quality Specialist is responsible for supporting and maintaining feed quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across feed manufacturing facilities. This position works closely with feed mill management, operations personnel, and leadership teams to ensure products meet company quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations while promoting a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Quality Assurance & Food Safety

• Support implementation and maintenance of feed quality and food safety programs.
• Assist in developing, maintaining, and updating food safety plans, procedures, and documentation.
• Conduct routine inspections and audits of manufacturing processes, ingredient handling, storage, and finished feed.
• Monitor and verify compliance with established quality standards and operating procedures.
• Investigate quality concerns and support corrective and preventive action initiatives.
• Coordinate feed sampling, testing, and record retention activities.

Regulatory Compliance

• Assist with compliance requirements related to FDA, state feed regulations, GMPs, HACCP, and other applicable standards.
• Maintain compliance documentation, records, and audit files.
• Support internal, customer, and third-party audits and inspections.
• Track corrective actions and ensure timely closure of audit findings.
• Stay informed on regulatory changes and communicate impacts to operations teams.

Safety & Risk Management

• Promote a strong safety culture throughout feed operations.
• Participate in safety inspections, observations, and incident investigations.
• Assist with safety training programs and documentation.
• Support implementation of safety policies and continuous improvement initiatives.

Operational Support

• Work with feed mill personnel to improve process consistency, efficiency, and product quality.
• Review operational records and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Assist with traceability exercises, product recalls, and crisis response activities when required.
• Support inventory control and ingredient quality verification processes.
• Collaborate with operations teams to implement best practices and standardized procedures.

Training & Communication

• Conduct training related to quality, food safety, and compliance programs.
• Serve as a resource for employees regarding quality standards and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate audit results, observations, and improvement opportunities to management and operational teams.
• Encourage employee engagement in continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in agriculture, animal science, food science, quality assurance, safety, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of feed manufacturing, agriculture, food production, quality assurance, or compliance experience preferred.
• Knowledge of feed manufacturing processes and industry regulations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications

• HACCP certification.
• Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification.
• Experience with feed mill audits and regulatory inspections.
• Understanding of FDA Animal Food regulations and GMP requirements.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action management.

Key Competencies

• Attention to Detail
• Food Safety Mindset
• Regulatory Knowledge
• Continuous Improvement
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Organization and Documentation
• Team Collaboration
• Leadership Through Influence

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