FSQA Compliance & Systems Intern

Ocean Spray; Lakeville (MN); On-site; USD 41,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. is seeking a Food Safety & Quality Assurance Intern to work on projects related to CAPA, RCA, and risk assessment.

You will gain hands-on experience through project design, analysis, and implementation, with exposure to multiple FSQA areas during the internship. Duration is 10-12 weeks, starting June 8, 2027, located at Ocean Spray's corporate headquarters in Lakeville, MA, with possible virtual flexibility.

Qualifications

• Must be a current student enrolled in a Master’s Degree or PhD Program in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry or other related areas
• Must have some knowledge of HACCP, cGMPs, FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule
• Must be project oriented and able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Highly organized, self-motivated with the ability to work independently

Responsibilities

• Assist on FSQA internship projects and present results
• Develop CAPA templates, job aids, and guidance materials
• Create ingredient risk profiling enhancements and present findings to FSQA leadership
• Prepare and present internship project results to leadership at Ocean Spray

Skills

HACCP knowledge

cGMPs knowledge

FSMA knowledge

Education

Master’s or PhD in Food Science related field

Job description

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. is a leading multi-national consumer packaged goods company (CPG), specializing in the sales of Cranberry products. Formed as a Grower-Owned Cooperative in 1930, Ocean Spray® is owned by a diverse network of over 700 Cranberry Farmers. These growers, many of which are multi-generational farming families who have been a part of the Cooperative for decades, are the foundation for all that we do. Ever aware of our long-term commitment to our Growers, we care deeply about sustainability— in regard to both our business metrics and the environment—and believe that a focus on strong environmental management is an integral part of the way we manage our business. At Ocean Spray, our purpose is to generate a passion for our Farmer’s fruit around the world by connecting our farms to families for a better life. Living out our values of Grower Mindset, Sustainable Results, Integrity Above All, Inclusive Teamwork (GRIT) has made Ocean Spray® a creative, entrepreneurial, energetic, and fun place to work.

Position Description

The Intern will be required to work on project(s) relevant to Food Safety & Quality Assurance and present his or her project(s) at the end of the internship. As a Food Safety & Quality Assurance Intern, you may be exposed to multiple food safety & quality aspects through orientation meetings, shadowing, and on the job training: Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and development and implementation of Corrective Actions/Preventive Actions (CAPA) Risk assessments of products, processes and ingredients Ingredient/product testing Experimental design and data analysis Key Process Indicators (KPIs) and Process Performance Metrics Preparing and presenting projects.

Potential projects include:

• CAPA Program Enhancement & Training Development
  1. Assess current CAPA processes, forms, and documentation practices across manufacturing sites and identify opportunities for improvement.
  2. Develop standardized CAPA templates, job aids, and guidance materials.
  3. Create a CAPA training program for plant and functional teams.
  4. Present recommendations and implementation roadmap to FSQA leadership.
• Ingredient Risk Assessment & Risk Profiling Enhancement
  1. Review the current ingredient risk assessment methodology and supporting documentation against industry best practices and emerging approaches to ingredient risk evaluation.
  2. Evaluate current risk factors, scoring criteria, and risk categorization methods and identify opportunities to improve risk visibility, consistency, and prioritization.
  3. Develop recommendations for enhancing risk-profiling tools and processes.
  4. Present findings and proposed improvements to FSQA leadership.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Ability requirements:

• Must be a current student enrolled in a Master’s Degree or PhD Program in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry or other related areas
• Must have some knowledge of HACCP, cGMPs, FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule
• Must be project oriented and able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Highly organized, self-motivated with the ability to work independently

Pay Range: $30.00 - $32.00

Duration & Location: Position will start June 8, 2027, and run for 10-12 weeks. Traditional work week but with summer Fridays 8:00am-12:30pm; flexibility and off-site work may be required for project travel, experimental test runs, customer discovery. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in multiple events throughout the summer including leadership panels, a day of fun in Boston and learning sessions from various business functions. This position will be located at our corporate headquarters in Lakeville, MA (about 45 minutes South of Boston – Exit 6 off of Rte 495). If necessary, this internship can be facilitated virtually.

Who We Are:

You might have our iconic cranberry juice in your fridge or have gotten into heated holiday debate about what’s better - canned or fresh cranberry sauce. But did you know that the hardworking people growing the superfruit in our products are 700 family farmers that own our cooperative? They entrust us with what is most precious to them to create new and innovative products that will delight consumers and grow this beloved brand today and into the future. Team members, farmers, consumers and communities alike--we value what makes us unique and strive to connect our farms to families for a better life by living our values: Grower Mindset – We embrace our grower-owners innovative spirit and heritage through confidence, learning and focus on the future. Sustainable Results – Guided by purpose, we are focused on delivering results for our grower-owners. Integrity Above All – We are ethical, doing the right thing for our grower-owners, customers, consumers and each other Inclusive Teamwork – We build diverse and inclusive teams that strengthen our cooperative.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Did you know that the hardworking people growing the superfruit in our products are 700 family farmers that own our cooperative? They entrust us with what is most precious to them to create new and innovative products that will delight consumers and grow this beloved brand. Today, the cooperative's cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide. The innovative, entrepreneurial spirit of our founders remains rooted in our cooperative's culture, and most of all, our purpose of connecting our farms to families for a better life.