Quality Control - Lead

Always Fresh Farms; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Always Fresh Farms is seeking a Quality Control Lead to oversee daily QC operations in our packing and cold storage facilities. You will supervise inspectors, ensure compliance with USDA standards, and drive continuous improvement in food safety and product quality. This role requires strong leadership, attention to detail, and the ability to train staff; bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. Regular overtime and occasional travel to remote locations may be required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of 2-5 years’ experience in fresh produce quality assurance, agriculture, food manufacturing or warehouse operations
• Knowledge of USDA Grade Standards and Inspection Procedures
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and electronic quality management systems
• Excellent organizational and communications skills
• Ability to handle confidential information in a professional manner
• Punctual, regular, and consistent attendance, and ability to work overtime, nights and weekends if needed
• Ability to lead, motivate and develop employees
• Bilingual English and Spanish language proficiency (reading, writing, and speaking) is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and assist in the supervision of daily activities of the quality control team
• Assign inspection responsibilities to inspectors during receiving, shipping, rework, repack and packing activities
• Provide training and coaching to quality control inspectors and monitor inspector performance
• Ensure inspection procedures are performed accurately and consistently
• Perform quality inspections of incoming and outgoing berry shipments including during any packing, repacking, or reworking activities
• Verify product compliance with customer specifications, USDA grade standards, company product specifications
• Perform routine verification of inspections to ensure consistency among inspectors
• Provide support in the decision-making process for the disposition of questionable product including holds, rejections, release and rework
• Comply with GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), sanitation procedures, and food safety requirements.
• Participate in inspector calibration exercises and annual quality training.
• Monitor products shelf-life programs and inventory rotation
• Perform other quality control duties as assigned
• Travel to other remote locations as needed for support

Skills

Leadership

Quality assurance

Inspection procedures

Microsoft Office

Bilingual EN/SP (preferred)

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic quality management systems

Job description

The Quality ControlLeadis responsible forleading the daily quality controloperationswithin ourpacking and cold storage facilities. This role overseesthe quality control inspectorsand ensures consistent applicationofcompanyinspection standards,product specifications andverifies compliance with customerrequirementswhile fostering a culture of continuous improvement,accountabilityand food safety.

Duties& Responsibilities:

• Lead andassistin the supervision of daily activities of the quality control team
• Assign inspection responsibilitiesto inspectors during receiving, shipping, rework, repack and packing activities
• Provide training and coaching to quality controlinspectors andmonitorinspector performance
• Ensure inspection procedures are performed accurately and consistently
• Perform quality inspections of incoming and outgoing berry shipmentsincluding during any packing, repacking, or reworking activities
• Verifyproductcompliance with customer specifications, USDA grade standards, companyproduct specifications
• Perform routineverification of inspectionsto ensure consistency among inspectors
• Provide support in thedecision-makingprocessfor the dispositionofquestionableproductincluding holds, rejections,releaseand rework
• ComplywithGMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), sanitation procedures, and food safety requirements.
• Participate ininspector calibration exercises and annual quality training.
• Monitor productshelf-lifeprogramsand inventory rotation
• Perform other qualitycontrolduties as assigned.
• Travel to other remote locations asneeded for support

Skills/Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minium of2-5 years’experiencein fresh produce quality assurance, agriculture, foodmanufacturingor warehouse operations
• Knowledge ofUSDA Grade Standards and Inspection Procedures
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and electronic quality management systems
• Excellentorganizationalandcommunicationskills
• Ability to handle confidential information in a professional manner
• Punctual, regular, and consistent attendance, and ability to work overtime, nights and weekends if needed
• Ability to lead, motivate and develop employees
• Bilingual English andSpanish languageproficiency(reading, writing, and speaking) is preferred but notrequired.

Physical Demandsand Working Conditions:

• Required to stand forlong periodsof time
• Ability to bend, stoop, squat, push, pull and perform repetitive motions
• Must be able to lift 20-30lbs as needed
• Must be willing to work in a refrigerated warehouse environment of 33ºF – 40ºF
• Ability towork overtime,weekendsand holidays

This job description is intended to outline the framework of the duties performed by employees in this job. It is notan exhaustive list of all thejob’sresponsibilities. All our jobs include a broad range of activities, duties, andresponsibilities which may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.