Quality Assurance Manager

Island Creek Oysters; New Bedford (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Island Creek Oysters in New Bedford, MA seeks an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead food safety, quality and regulatory compliance across canning, hospitality and distribution.

You will develop the QMS, oversee audits, ensure labeling and traceability, and drive CAPA, recalls, and staff training, traveling regionally to oversee facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field; 5+ years QA/food safety experience.
• Supervisory or management experience (2+ years).
• Strong HACCP, GMP, and regulatory knowledge for food manufacturing.
• Certification: HACCP and/or BPCS; SQF/GFSI certification preferred.
• Ability to work across multiple sites and travel ~20%.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) across canning, hospitality, and distribution operations.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF/BRC/GFSI, and local health department regulations.
• Lead internal and third-party audits; manage CAPA processes.
• Oversee cannery production quality including raw materials, processing, and testing.
• Maintain labeling, allergen control, and traceability systems.
• Train staff on food safety and quality practices; present metrics to leadership.
• Manage recall readiness and cold chain quality checks.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Documentation

Communication

Multi-site coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

Bachelor's degree in Microbiology

Related field / equivalent experience

Tools

HACCP knowledge

GMP knowledge

WMS familiarity

Job description

Island Creek Oysters (ICO) is a mission-driven company working to redefine the role of aquaculture in our global food system. We grow thriving coastal communities, and through innovation and education, we connect people to bold boundary-pushing seafood. We live by our values, work hard, and have fun doing it. We believe in what we do– and we say thank you.

We’re seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead food safety, quality and regulatory compliance efforts across our cannery, hospitality, and distribution operations. This role is critical to ensuring every product that leaves our facility and every experience delivered to our guests and customers meets the highest standards of safety, consistency, and quality. The ideal candidate has strong food safety expertise, is comfortable managing compliance across multiple business lines, and can build a culture of quality from the production floor to the point of service.

The Quality Assurance Manager will be primarily based in New Bedford, MA, at the Cannery. However, the role extends to Duxbury MA, where there are additional work sites, facilities and hospitality outlets. Occasional travel is needed to Portland ME and New York NY for additional oversight of facilities located in both locations.

The Quality Assurance Manager reports directly to both the Director of Operations and the CEO.

The Role:

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Develop, implement, and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) across canning, hospitality, and distribution operations
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, SQF/BRC/GFSI, and applicable local health department regulations
• Maintain and update all facility HACCP plan, including hazard analysis, critical control points, and verification activities
• Lead internal and third-party audits; manage corrective action and preventive action (CAPA) processes
• Ensure proper labeling, allergen control, and traceability systems are in place and functioning

Cannery/Production Oversight

• Oversee incoming raw material inspection, in-process quality checks, and finished product testing
• Monitor thermal processing, seal integrity, and can/container quality per FDA 21 CFR Part 113 (low-acid canned foods) requirements
• Manage retort operations documentation and ensure the facility's process authority approvals and records are current and compliant.
• Investigate quality deviations, non-conformances, and customer complaints; drive root cause analysis

Hospitality & Food Service Quality

• Establish and audit sanitation, food handling, and temperature control standards across hospitality/food service locations
• Train front-of-house and back-of-house staff on food safety practices and quality expectations
• Ensure consistency of guest-facing food and beverage quality standards

Distribution & Cold Chain

• Monitor storage and transportation conditions to ensure product integrity through the supply chain
• Oversee quality checks at distribution points, including receiving, warehousing, and outbound shipping
• Manage recall readiness and mock recall exercises

Leadership & Team Management

• Partner with Operations, R&D, Purchasing, and Sales to align quality standards with business goals
• Develop and deliver food safety and quality training programs for all staff levels
• Prepare and present quality metrics, trends, and reports to senior leadership

Other Responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of QA/food safety experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or management role
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, and regulatory requirements for food manufacturing
• Strong understanding of canning/thermal processing standards (or willingness to obtain certification)
• Excellent problem-solving, documentation, and communication skills
• Ability to work across multiple sites/business units and adapt standards to different operational contexts
• HACCP Certification and/or Better Process Control School (BPCS) certification
• SQF Practitioner or similar GFSI-recognized certification
• Familiarity with warehouse management systems (WMS) and cold chain logistics
• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification
• Ability to walk/stand for extended periods in production, warehouse, and kitchen environments
• Ability to work in varying temperature environments (cold storage, retort/processing areas)
• Capacity for regional travel, estimated at a minimum of 20%