Quality Assurance Laboratory Lead

Actalent; Elgin (IL); On-site; USD 29,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Time Off/Leave

Job summary

The Quality Assurance Laboratory Lead at Actalent is responsible for maintaining food safety and quality standards by overseeing lab testing and issuing Certificates of Analysis for outgoing shipments.

Based in Elgin, IL, this contract-to-hire role supports GMPs, SOPs, daily product testing (pH, moisture, salt, fat), audits, and the hold-and-release program, with typical hours Monday to Friday plus occasional Saturdays.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field.
• Basic laboratory skills.
• Strong communication skills both verbal and written.
• Detail-oriented with ability to review Certificates of Analysis and ensure they meet specs.
• Interest in a career in food quality assurance.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with quality requirements related to certifications, customer, state, and federal standards.
• Follow SOPs and Good Manufacturing & Laboratory practices, programs, and policies.
• Create and distribute Certificates of Analysis for outgoing shipments.
• Perform data entry, record review, and record-keeping duties as required.
• Conduct daily testing of products to ensure parameters meet current specifications, including routine chemical analysis on raw materials and finished products such as pH, moisture, salt, and fat testing.
• Assist with product sampling, inspection, testing, and other duties to support the site's hold and release program.
• Provide feedback to managers and the production team regarding quality-related discrepancies, violations, or issues that need resolution.
• Assist in shelf life study programs by reviewing samples and providing detailed reports.
• Oversee the laboratory proficiency testing program to ensure compliance with laboratory and department SOPs.
• Support Quality Management during facility visits, audits, and inspections.
• Retrieve documentation and records during the audit process.
• Engage site employees in Good Manufacturing Practices to educate and improve compliance.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Detail-oriented

Independent worker

Problem-solving

Interest in QA

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field

Tools

Excel (formulas, v-lookups, pivot tables)

VBA coding

Job description

Job Title: Quality Assurance Laboratory LeadJob Description

The Quality Assurance Laboratory Lead is responsible for ensuring that food safety and quality standards are maintained. This role involves overseeing the product testing conducted by the Quality Assurance Lab and the creation and distribution of Certificates of Analysis for outgoing shipments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with quality requirements related to certifications, customer, state, and federal standards.

• Follow Standard Operating Procedures and Good Manufacturing & Laboratory practices, programs, and policies.

• Create and distribute Certificates of Analysis for outgoing shipments.

• Perform data entry, record review, and record-keeping duties as required.

• Conduct daily testing of products to ensure parameters meet current specifications, including routine chemical analysis on raw materials and finished products such as pH, moisture, salt, and fat testing.

• Assist with product sampling, inspection, testing, and other duties to support the site's hold and release program.

• Provide feedback to managers and the production team regarding quality-related discrepancies, violations, or issues that need resolution.

• Assist in shelf life study programs by reviewing samples and providing detailed reports.

• Oversee the laboratory proficiency testing program to ensure compliance with laboratory and department SOPs.

• Support Quality Management during facility visits, audits, and inspections.

• Retrieve documentation and records during the audit process.

• Engage site employees in Good Manufacturing Practices to educate and improve compliance.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field.

• Basic laboratory skills.

• Strong communication skills both verbal and written.

• Detail-oriented with the ability to review Certificates of Analysis and ensure they meet specifications.

• Interest in a career in food quality assurance.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in food manufacturing or quality assurance is a plus.

• Proficiency in Excel, including formulas, v-lookups, and pivot tables; VBA coding is advantageous.

• Ability to work independently and problem-solve.

• Desire to grow and develop a career in food quality.

Work Environment

This position is based in a food cheese processing plant, working within the quality office/lab. The standard hours are Monday to Friday, from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with occasional Saturday hours to check lab test results. The work environment promotes growth from within, as evidenced by the career progression of current staff members.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of ELGIN, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $21.00 - $22.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in ELGIN,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 2, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.