QC Grower

Coke Farm; San Juan Bautista (CA); On-site; USD 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Amazing company culture

Medical/Dental/Vision benefits

ESOP and 401(k)

Paid vacations and holidays

Tuition assistance (100% prepaid)

Job summary

Coke Farm is seeking a QC Grower Technician in San Juan Bautista, CA. You will ensure daily delivered products meet quality standards, inspect inbound goods, and report issues to the Grower Liaison Team and Sales. The role involves daily cooler walkthroughs and operating within food safety guidelines.

You will document quality, communicate findings, and contribute to audits and quality processes while collaborating with multiple departments to maintain product integrity.

Qualifications

• Self-starter, strategic and independent thinker with good business acumen.
• Excellent time management and capability to meet deadlines.
• Adaptability/flexibility with changing requirements while maintaining communication.
• Produce/grocery/food industry experience is a plus.
• Strong planning and organizational skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Ensure daily products meet quality standards and report issues to growers and sales.
• Inspect inbound products and document quality in the warehouse cooler per food safety standards.
• Provide real-time feedback to growers via in-person, phone, or email.
• Take and upload photos of delivered products to document quality.
• Review cooler temperatures and shelf-life and assist in QA/QC reporting.

Skills

Self-starter

Time management

Adaptability

Communication

Food/produce industry experience

Job description

• Compensation: USD 19.75 - USD 22 - hourly

Company Description

Coke Farm - Who We Are

Coke Farm is a dynamic organic farming company, a part of Charlie's Produce, in beautiful San Juan Bautista, CA. We offer an interesting and challenging work in a team oriented environment.

Charlie's Produce is a privately owned wholesale produce company. We are the largest privately owned produce wholesaler on the West Coast, and we are growing. The secret to our success in this industry is PEOPLE! We strive to hire the best and we reward them with a working environment that fosters loyalty, stability, innovation, and growth. Charlie’s was founded in quality, and we are proud that it is still our focus.

With a team of dedicated people who are passionate about food, supply chain, and their community we are looking for like minded individuals to help further our goal to enhance our communities through quality produce.

What we offer:

• An amazing company culture!
• Medical/Dental/Vision on the first of the month following hire.
• ESOP (Profit Sharing) and 401(k).
• Paid vacations, paid holidays.
• 100% Prepaid College Tuition for employees and their dependents.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).
• $19.75 - $ 22.00+ per hour
• Potential 90-day performance-based raise
• Yearly review with possibility of increase based on performance and tenure

Job Description

The Role

The QC Grower Technician ensures daily delivered products meet company quality standards and communicates issues and concerns to growers and sales department. The incumbent inspects and reports all product inventory within the warehouse cooler following food safety standards. Works directly with Grower Liaison team and Sales to establish produce quality standards based on market needs. This position will also assist in internal audits and work with the Grower Supply Assistant Manager on furthering quality processes.

Essential Responsibilities Include but Not Limited To

• All employees are responsible for food safety and are expected to notify the appropriate manager, supervisor, or key personnel if they witness any compromise to food safety or food quality
• Meet daily with the sales team at start of shift to review daily products, expectations and market needs.
• Daily meet and greet growers on site as products are delivered and follow inspection process for all incoming products.
• Provide real-time feedback to growers if needed (in person, phone or email), compose group text to provide feedback as needed.
• Inspect inbound truck commodities during winter season and for all buy/sell goods, assess product temperatures and review proper shipping methods were used to protect product.
• Take pictures of product being delivered to show all aspects of quality.
• Document product quality using internal reporting log.
• Upload pictures into internal Dept. shared drive.
• Submit daily end of day QA/QC Report to appropriate Depts.
• Daily cooler walkthrough at beginning of shift to assess proper product storage, review previous ‘On-Hold’ products
• Identify any potential ‘On-hold’ products that do not meet quality standards and label/tag products immediately and follow food safety reporting process to manager.
• Review and verify all cooler temperatures meet safe food storage standards, daily.
• Review and verify all product temperatures meet safe food storage standards, daily.
• Ensure applicable products are being Hydrocooled and pressure cooled, as needed.
• Proactively report aging of products to sales, daily/ weekly or as applicable.
• Conduct shelf-life report 2x a week.
• Utilize warehouse equipment (utility cart) to move and place products in appropriate slots, as needed
• Safely operate equipment, follow all company procedures (SOPs SSOPs).
• Other duties as assigned.
• Monitor and review inventory dashboard, daily for on-hold vs sold items, shelf-life products, know what products are in the cooler vs physical products.
• Understanding the defects and QC issues that pertain to each commodity.
• Work with several departments to investigate inventory discrepancies, make corrections and follow through to completion.
• Understanding of product, how to read harvest schedules, inventory, and grower information.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Self-starter, strategic and independent thinker with good business acumen.
• Excellent time management and capable of meeting work schedule deadlines.
• Adaptability/Flexibility, with the ability to react quickly to changing requirements from internal and external conditions while maintaining good communication with all parties involved.
• Produce/grocery/food industry experience a plus.
• Strong planning and organizational skills with a high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong and well-organized communicator, both written and verbal.
• Personable and comfortable in following up on quality issues with growers.
• Ability to lift to 50lbs occasionally
• Ability to work in a refrigerated environment at 36 - 40 degrees, as well as outside weather conditions.
• Ability to maintain a safe working environment by following all safety practices and food safety procedures

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

This is a safety-sensitive position.

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

We do not provide H1-B sponsorships at this time.

Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.

Charlie's Produce is an Equal Opportunity Employer