Lead QA Technician: Drive Quality & Safety in Pet Food

Barrett Petfood; Gorham (ME); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance (company paid)

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) matching

Life insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Paid time off

Holiday pay

Employee discounts

Job summary

Barrett Petfood in Little Falls, MN is seeking a Full-Time Lead Quality Assurance Technician to champion our QA programs and lead a team in a fast-paced pet food manufacturing facility.

You will mentor QA Technicians, ensure compliance with SQF, GMPs, HACCP, and preventive controls, and drive continuous improvement through SOPs, audits, and data-driven actions. The role demands hands-on leadership in a collaborative culture.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years in quality assurance in food/pet food manufacturing
• High school diploma required; bachelor’s degree preferred
• Strong GMPs, sanitation, and environmental monitoring knowledge

Responsibilities

• Lead Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) execution: sample collection, scheduling, tracking results, trending data, corrective actions
• Coordinate QA-led projects, continuous improvement initiatives, and corrective actions
• Develop, review, and maintain SOPs, SSOPs, and work instructions
• Train and coach QA Technicians on SOPs, SSOPs, GMPs, sanitation, and food safety practices
• Support onboarding and hands-on training of new QA Technicians to ensure consistent execution of quality programs
• Serve as a technical resource for QA Technicians and assist with troubleshooting quality and food safety issues
• Perform routine QA Technician duties: inspections, sampling, testing, and documentation review
• Support audits (internal, customer, regulatory) ensuring programs and documents are audit-ready

Skills

Quality assurance

Mentoring

GMPs

Documentation

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

SQF

HACCP

Job description

Barrett Petfood in Little Falls, MN is seeking a Full-Time Lead Quality Assurance Technician to champion our QA programs and lead a team in a fast-paced pet food manufacturing facility.

You will mentor QA Technicians, ensure compliance with SQF, GMPs, HACCP, and preventive controls, and drive continuous improvement through SOPs, audits, and data-driven actions. The role demands hands-on leadership in a collaborative culture.