QA Technician

High Liner Foods; Portsmouth (NH); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

High Liner Foods (USA), Inc. is seeking a Quality Assurance Technician to verify adherence to GMPs, HACCP, and food safety programs on the production floor in Portsmouth, NH. You will perform QA checks, document findings, support audits, and communicate issues to leadership, while ensuring product quality and regulatory compliance for daily operations.

Strong attention to detail, solid documentation skills, and ability to work overtime and flex schedule are essential in this role.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED (minimum).
• Associates degree or above preferred, but not required.
• HACCP certification preferred; must be able to complete required HACCP, GMP, food safety training.

Responsibilities

• Verify employee adherence to GMPs, food safety, and quality expectations.
• Perform QA verification activities according to established procedures and frequencies.
• Confirm product specs are signed off by Line Leads/Supervisors before lines start.
• Complete audit, in-process, pre-operational, and finished product records accurately and on time.
• Identify out-of-specification or potentially non-conforming products; place on hold and escalate as needed.
• Conduct sanitation and pre-op inspections using ATP/protein swabs and visual methods.
• Support R&D and plant trials by completing quality checks and documenting observations.
• Provide real-time feedback to manufacturing on housekeeping, GMP adherence, and audit-readiness.
• Ensure equipment (scales/thermometers) are calibrated and functioning properly.
• Maintain pre-operational findings tracking and report to QA leadership.

Skills

Attention to detail

English proficiency

Quality assurance

Food safety

Documentation

Problem solving

Education

Associates degree or higher preferred

HACCP certification preferred

Tools

ATP swabs

Protein swabs

Lab testing

Job description

• Verify employee adherence to safe work practices, GMPs, and food safety expectations; promptly communicate unsafe or non-compliant conditions to QA and Operations leadership.
• Perform assigned quality, food safety, GMP, prerequisite program, and HACCP verification activities according to established procedures and frequencies.
• Confirm product specifications are signed off by Line Leads and Line Supervisors prior to lines being started.
• Complete audit, in-process, pre-operational, finished product, and other quality records accurately and on time; ensure required corrections are completed according to cGMP and documentation standards, escalate gaps as appropriate, and maintain records so they are filed, accessible, and archived as required.
• Conduct product evaluations in accordance with 50CFR.
• Identify out-of-specification, potentially non-conforming, or questionable products and materials; place product on hold and/or elevate to QA leadership according to site procedures and support timely disposition decisions.
• Complete daily sanitation and pre-op inspections, using visual and analytical methods such as ATP and protein swabs.
• Complete daily sensory and organoleptic evaluations and ensure findings are documented clearly, accurately, and escalated when results do not meet expectations.
• Support R&D trials, plant trials, and first productions by completing assigned quality checks, documenting observations, verifying product and process requirements, and escalating food safety or quality concerns in real time.
• Provide real-time feedback to manufacturing employees and leaders regarding housekeeping, GMP adherence, product handling, and audit-ready behaviors.
• Ensure scales and thermometers being used by the manufacturing team are calibrated and function as intended.
• Update pre-operational findings tracking sheet each day and report findings to QA Supervisor/Manager.
• Participate in Tier meetings or shift handoffs as needed to communicate quality observations, open issues, holds, trial observations, and follow-up needs.
• Perform other quality, food safety, sanitation verification, documentation, trial support, and plant support duties as assigned.
• Identify recurring product quality concerns, documentation gaps, GMP observations, or process opportunities and communicate them to QA leadership and cross‑functional partners.
• Participate in continuous improvement, corrective action, and problem‑solving activities as assigned by providing accurate floor observations and practical input.
• Support product and process improvement efforts that improve made - right - first‑time performance , reduce repeat defects, strengthen audit performance, and reduce customer and consumer complaints.

General:

• Quarantine or place non-conforming materials on hold according to site procedures, maintain hold identification and documentation, and support QA leadership with investigation and disposition follow‑up.
• Support preparation for and execution of GFSI, customer, regulatory, internal, and GMP audits by maintaining accurate records, following procedures, and supporting timely corrective actions.
• Provide practical feedback on quality and food safety procedures, job aids, training materials, and forms to improve usability and daily execution.
• Assist with training and onboarding new Quality Assurance Technicians by demonstrating proper inspection, verification, documentation, escalation, and GMP practices.
• Maintain the lab and quality workspace in a clean, organized, audit‑ready condition and ensure required consumable supplies are available .

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED
• Associates degree or above preferred, but not required
• HACCP certification preferred; must be able to complete required HACCP, GMP, food safety, and role‑specific training.
• Strong basic math, measurement, documentation, and practical problem‑identification
• Reliable, detail‑oriented, and able to use sound judgment, urgency, and professionalism when completing routine checks or escalating issues.
• 3+ years prior experience in quality assurance, food handling, food processing, sanitation, laboratory, or manufacturing preferred.
• Knowledge of GMPs, sanitation requirements, HACCP, allergen control, foreign material prevention, and food safety programs preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to read, write, and communicate clearly in English, including accurate completion of quality and food safety records.
• Ability to communicate quality and food safety expectations in a respectful, clear, and effective manner with hourly employees, leads, supervisors, and QA leadership.
• Must be available for overtime as needed
• Ability to flex schedule to support business needs.

Working conditions

• Must work in -44° to 90° Fahrenheit/ -42° to 32° Celsius for short durations.

Plant environment with loud noise, food grade dusts and odors, moving and vibrating

• machinery, heaving equipment, powered industrial trucks heights, traffic, anhydrous ammonia, oil, electricity.
• Potentially wet, humid, and icy environment
• Ability to lift and move cases of product, up to 50lbs

Physical requirements/Allergens

• Work with allergen containing food materials: Fish, shellfish, tree nuts (including coconut), eggs, wheat, soy, dairy and other sensitizing agents.
• Standing and walking for long periods on production floor or in laboratory environment.
• Sitting for computer work, preparation of documents, reports, research and investigations.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

AAP/EEO Statement

High Liner Foods (USA), Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, High Liner Foods (USA), Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.