Laboratory Technician Nights

Valley-Milk-LL; Turlock (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Valley-Milk-LL in California seeks a Quality Assurance Lab Technician to ensure dairy products meet top safety and quality standards. You will perform testing on raw, intermediate, and finished products and collect environmental samples.

You will prepare reagents, operate lab equipment including Bruker analyzer, maintain accurate records, and generate reports while ensuring compliance with GMP, safety, and customer specifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent lab experience.
• Experience with dairy laboratory testing and troubleshooting helpful.
• Must be able to read, write and understand English; bilingual a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform quality testing on raw, intermediate, and finished products.
• Collect and test environmental samples according to procedures.
• Ensure product release meets government and customer specifications.
• Maintain lab records of samples, test results and QC measures.
• Prepare reagents and perform basic micro and environmental sampling.
• Operate lab equipment including Bruker analyzer and other tools.
• Keep lab clean and ensure data integrity for test results.

Skills

Quality testing

Lab techniques

English proficiency

Microsoft Excel

Data entry

Analytical chemistry

Bruker analyzer experience

Education

Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science, Microbiology, Food Science or Chemistry

Tools

Bruker analyzer

Laboratory equipment

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Responsibilities & Essential Job Functions:Responsible for ensuring products are produced and distributed to the highest food safety and quality standards by performing quality testing on all raw, intermediate and finished products. Responsible for collecting and testing environmental samples according to established procedures, testing to discover and prevent defects and to improve quality is a primary function. Expected to work with a high degree of accuracy and concentration to produce valid test results in a timely manner.Adhere to all Company Safety, GMP and Quality policies and procedures, including corporate, regulatory, food safety and sanitation requirements, reporting any nonconformities or suggestions for improvement.Responsible for accepting or rejecting trucks based upon established criteria.Responsible for computer data entry/recordkeeping and report generating.Perform testing using the Near Infra-red methods, scorch tests, acidity tests, bench work, and use of other appropriate lab equipment.Prepare chemical reagent solutions required for laboratory testing methodologyPerform butterfat and total solids tests on fluid milk, cream, condensed, and powdered products utilizing the appropriate laboratory equipment.Prepare media and sterilize equipment as needed.Maintain lab records of samples, test results and lab quality control measures in an up-to-date, legible and accurate manner ensuring the accuracy of results.Ensure that finished product is suitable for product release and commercial sale by meeting government and customer specificationResponsible for the cleanliness and organization of the lab in which he/she is working and the integrity of all his/her testing results.Perform basic micro and environmental sampling duties.Perform other duties including internal support functions as requested or assigned.Competencies:Collaboration SkillsCommunication ProficiencyCustomer/Client Focus (Internal & External)Decision MakingLead by ExampleLearning OrientationPersonal Effectiveness/CredibilityProblem Solving/AnalysisTeamwork OrientationTechnical CapacitySupervisory Responsibility:This position has no direct supervisory responsibility.Work Environment:This job operates primarily in a process manufacturing environment, as well as a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, multipurpose scanner/photocopiers and filing cabinets. While performing some duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud.Physical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:The Quality Assurance Lab Technician is a full-time, non-exempt/hourly position and reports directly to the Quality Assurance Supervisor. The regular work schedule for the position is a 2/2/3 AWS, working 5pm-5am.Travel:No travel is required or anticipated for this role.Required Education and Experience:Bachelor of Science Degree in Dairy Science, Microbiology, Food Science, Chemistry or related field required, or the equivalent related job experience in dairy laboratory testing environment.Prior experience using lab testing equipment, including troubleshooting, required. Experience working with a Bruker analyzer a strong plus.Advanced mathematics reasoning required, specifically a strong working knowledge and appropriate application of analytical chemistry equations for standardizing solutions.Previous experience and proficiency in preparing and standardizing reagents preferred.Must be able to communicate (read, write, speak, understand) in English. Bilingual skills a plus.Must have the ability to apply logic and common sense, and to carry out instructions given in written, oral, or diagram form.Basic computer skills, including strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office. Intermediate skills or better in Microsoft Excel including data manipulation, pivot tables and graphing.Certificates, Licenses, RegistrationsMust possess, or successfully acquire within six months of hire, a Weighers and Samplers License issued by the State of California.Must possess, or successfully acquire within six months of hire, a certification from the State of California for Appendix N testing.