Quality Assurance Technician I - OW - C Shift - 6pm - 6am

King's Hawaiian; Oakwood (GA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

King's Hawaiian in Oakwood, GA, is seeking a Quality Assurance Technician I to perform food safety and quality assurance functions. This entry-level role under supervision supports compliance and interacts across departments.

The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma/GED, with preferred experience in food manufacturing and strong communication skills. Join our family-oriented team dedicated to inclusive practices and employee well-being.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Ability to read and interpret English documents.
• Ability to write routine quality reports in English.
• Mathematical skills: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine food safety and quality assurance functions.
• Conduct product sensory evaluations and laboratory tests.
• Assist with SQF certification compliance.
• Initiate quality holds and report non-conformances.

Skills

Verbal and written communication skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Critical thinking skills

Microsoft Excel

MS Word

Outlook

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate’s degree in progress

Job description

Joining King’s Hawaiian makes you part of our ohana (family). We are a family‑owned business for over seventy years, respecting our roots while thinking about our future as we continue to grow and care for our customers and the communities we serve. Our ohana members build an environment of inclusivity as they freely collaborate, pursue learning through curiosity, and explore innovation as critical thinkers. Beyond that, we are also passionate about supporting the long‑term health and well‑being of our employees and their families. If you’re excited to rise with our team, come and join our ohana!

The Quality Assurance Technician I is an entry level QA Technician position working under the direct supervision of the Quality Assurance Supervisor. The critical technical functions of the position are to perform routine QA functions as assigned by the QA Supervisor, and act a liaison between departments such as manufacturing, engineering, etc. Employees in this position may interact with a supervisor daily to receive guidance and feedback. Some non‑routine activities may require a supervisor’s advance approval, but routine decisions within the general scope of the role may be made independently.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform routine food safety and quality assurance functions.
• Perform verification audits for food safety & pre‑requisite programs.
• Perform laboratory tests for raw materials and finished products, which include Moisture, pH/TTA, Brix, Colors, Texture, Sensory, etc.
• Conduct product sensory evaluation.
• Initiate quality holds.
• Assist the SQF Practitioner to verify SQF certification compliance and to prepare for certification audit, which include registries audit, food security evaluation, SQF training, etc.
• Assist with investigations related to food safety and quality issues.
• Report issues/non‑conformances and investigation results to the QA Supervisor/Shift Lead/QA Technologists.
• Participate in departmental and cross‑functional continuous improvement projects.
• Train operations personnel on food safety and quality programs.
• Perform CCP verifications.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of this role.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE)

• Required – High school diploma, or GED equivalent
• Required – Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals written in English
• Required – Ability to write routine quality assurance reports and correspondence in English
• Required – Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measurement using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals
• Preferred – Minimum 1 year of experience in food/beverage manufacturing (FDA or USDA), baking experience highly preferred
• Preferred – Associate’s degree from an accredited institution in progress

Additional Qualifications (job Skills, Abilities, Knowledge)

• Developing verbal and written communication skills; bilingual in English / Spanish is a plus.
• Developing knowledge working with teams and project work.
• Developing critical thinking skills.
• Working understanding with computers: MS Excel / Word / Outlook.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced work environment.
• Ability to consistently demonstrate King’s values of excellence, dignity, saying it like it is in a way that can be heard, and curiosity, collaboration, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.
• Ability to travel up to 5% of the time.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, taste, or smell. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 - 25 pounds, and occasionally more than 50 pounds with assistance from co‑worker and/or mechanic devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee will be handling items that may be very hot. Noise level is usually moderate. Must be available to work overtime, nights, weekends, and Holidays.

King's Hawaiian is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our ohana.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (Manufacturing Only)

• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and walk short distances in a manufacturing setting.
• Ability to climb stairs or ladders, crouch, stoop, and twist.
• Ability to make common sensory evaluations through sight, smell, taste, and feel.
• Ability to sit and use a computer for extended periods of time.

King's Hawaiian is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our ohana.