Quality Assurance Manager

The Judge Group, INC.; Williamsport (Lycoming County); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Judge Group, INC. is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to lead the plant's QA program, ensuring compliance with FDA, GFSI, HACCP, and customer specifications. The role leads audits and drives continuous improvement in food safety and quality systems.

Responsibilities include overseeing QA policies, CAPA, and regulatory reviews, plus supervising the QA team and serving as acting Director of QA as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food, Dairy, or Natural Sciences preferred; AAS considered with equivalent experience.
• 5–7 years QA experience in food/beverage industry.
• Supervisory experience required; familiarity with ISO, HACCP, and SPC preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee QA program and policies; ensure compliance with FDA, GFSI, HACCP, GMPs and customer specs.
• Lead third‑party and SQF audits and support internal audits.
• Manage QA team schedules, performance, and development; act as QA Director when needed.
• Serve as main contact for customers and R&D for audits and product validations.

Skills

Supervisory experience

ISO Quality Management Systems

HACCP

Statistical process control

Technical writing & communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food, Dairy, or Natural Sciences

AAS degree with education/experience equivalent

Tools

None

Job description

Job Title: Quality Assurance Manager

Company Overview

Join a leading dairy manufacturer proudly owned by local family farms and dedicated to delivering high-quality, fresh dairy products from farm to table. Processing milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, and cottage cheese, the company is built on sustainable practices, strong community values, and an unwavering commitment to food safety and excellence.

Position Summary

The Manager of Plant Quality Assurance oversees the total quality program within the manufacturing plant. This includes documentation, compliance monitoring, auditing, and continuous improvement of food safety and quality systems. The role ensures conformance with internal policies, FDA regulations, GFSI standards, HACCP, GMPs, and customer specifications. Additionally, this position leads third-party and SQF audits and serves as the plant’s QA lead in the absence of the Director of QA.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Systems Oversight: Ensure the QA policy and procedures manual remains current; manage QA Hold and Product Loss/Disposition programs; perform trend analysis to support continuous improvement; maintain food safety and quality systems to meet regulatory and customer compliance.
• Regulatory & Compliance: Provide Regulatory Affairs review and approval of validation protocols, change orders, nonconformance reports, and related documentation; participate in and support regulatory and customer audits; maintain and follow up on Corrective Action Preventative Action (CAPA) plans under GFSI and HACCP regulations.
• Audit Leadership: Lead third-party and SQF audits; support internal auditing programs.
• Team Leadership & Management: Oversee employee schedules and assigned responsibilities within the Plant QA team; manage direct reports (interviewing, hiring, training, performance appraisals, rewards, and disciplinary actions); resolve facility complaints and problems; serve as acting Director of Quality Assurance as needed.
• Customer & R&D Support: Serve as the primary point of contact for customer inquiries, audits, and concerns; collaborate with Research & Development on new projects and coordinate equipment/product validations.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Food, Dairy, or Natural Sciences preferred. A minimum Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree with an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Experience: 5-7 years of related QA experience and active involvement in Quality Programs within the food and beverage industry.
• Requirements & Skills: Previous supervisory experience required; knowledge of ISO Quality Management Systems, HACCP, and statistical process control preferred; strong personal computer skills. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, technical procedures, and government regulations, as well as write technical reports and present information effectively to key stakeholders.

Working Conditions

• Frequently required to speak and hear; occasionally required to stand, reach, climb, or balance.
• Regularly lift/move up to 10 lbs; occasionally lift/move up to 55 lbs.
• Vision abilities required include close, color, peripheral vision, and depth adjustment.
• Environment regularly exposes employees to wet/humid conditions, with occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts and chemicals. Noise level is usually moderate.

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