Food Safety & Quality Advisor - Retail Packaging

Spectraforce Technologies; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectraforce Technologies in Seattle, WA is seeking a Food Safety & Quality Advisor for Retail Packaging on a 6-month assignment. On-site 4 days a week, you will support packaging safety and quality across suppliers and production lines, driving critical initiatives.

The role requires 3–5+ years in packaging QA, strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, ISO/GFSI, and excellent collaboration and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Experience developing and implementing quality programs and product standards for packaging materials (3–5 years).
• Progressive experience in managing information to comply with product safety and quality.
• Strong background in plastics, pulp, and paper packaging materials.

Responsibilities

• Proactively analyze product and supplier quality signals, audit data, and customer feedback.
• Identify trends and lead investigations of packaging-related concerns with regulators and customers.
• Interface with suppliers and cross-functional teams to deliver results within timelines.

Skills

Quality program development

Product quality auditing

Packaging materials science

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

Smartsheet

Quality Management System (QMS) knowledge

Job description

Job Title: Food Safety & Quality Advisor - Retail Packaging

Location: Seattle, WA 98134

Duration: 6 months Assignment (Possibility for Extension or Conversion based on business need)

Shift/Hours: 40hours/week, M to F

Work Model: 4 days a week on site, can be flexible

Summary

• From the beginning, Client set out to be a different kind of company.
• One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection.
• We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.
• The Retail Packaging product safety and quality advisor senior role is a once in a career opportunity for a packaging QA professional to be part of the biggest sustainability commitments client has ever made.
• You will work with industry experts, cross-functional teams, and an outstanding supply base to drive projects from start to finish.
• At the same time, you'll be continuing a legacy of world class product safety and quality performance by managing quality signals, product incidents, and supply base management on a daily basis.

Key projects

• Apply in-depth technical knowledge to projects and gather insights (i.e., testing, supplier and product assessment) across a wide variety of single-use packaging materials/items including but not limited to:
• Poly-Coated Paperboard (Hot Cups), Polypropylene Pp (Cups And Lids), Polylactic Acid Pla, Poly-Hydroxyalkanoic Acids Pha, Molded Pulp, Corrugate, Containerboard, Utensils, Etc.
• General Team Support, More Ad-Hoc Focused On Packaging Specification And Enterprise Management.
• Manufacturing Or Process Capability Consulting (Helpful).

Daily Responsibilities

• Proactively analyze product and supplier quality signals, metrics, audit data, customer feedback, regulator, and workgroup input.
• Identify trends and lead investigation and resolution of packaging related concerns from regulators, retail stores, field QA partners or internal and external customers.
• Interface and influence suppliers and cross-functional teams, including internationally based partners, to deliver results within demanding timelines.
• Acts as a Retail Food Packaging Product Safety and Quality system expert in the development of new packaging initiatives or operating practices.
• Focused on proactive packaging, systems, organization, spec management.
• Partnering with packaging engineers, review technical spec documentation.
• Able to pick up new systems quickly.

Technology requirements

• Microsoft Office Suite.
• Smartsheet's.
• Quality Management System knowledge including HACCP, GMPs, ISO or GFSI and BRC complaint standards (must have knowledge of how it relates to packaging).

Education & Experience

• BA preferred, but open to experience based candidates.
• 3-5+, the more exp the better.

Required background & Skills

• Experience developing and implementing quality programs and product standards or manufacturer and supplier quality system and product quality auditing with an emphasis in materials (3-5 years).
• Progressive experience managing the development and review of information required to comply with product safety and quality (3-5 years).
• Strong packaging and material science background with emphasis in plastics, pulp, and paper (3-5 years).
• Basic understanding of Food Safety and Quality GFSI requirements.
• Interpreting QA task protocols as needed.
• Collaborative.
• Strong Communication.
• Attention to detail.
• Food contact packaging (paper, plastic, compostable fiber, ... etc).
• Disposable cups and lids.
• Nonfood contact packaging.

Nice-to-Haves

• Technical knowledge of poly-coated paperboard (hot cups), polypropylene PP (cups and lids), polylactic acid PLA, poly-hydroxyalkanoic acids PHA, molded pulp, corrugate, containerboard, utensils, etc.
• Lean 6 Signma.
• SpecRight or specifications management systems.