Quality Specialist (Nights)

Unilever Brasil Ltda.; Independence (MO); On-site; USD 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Unilever Brasil Ltda. in Independence, Missouri, seeks a Quality Specialist for the overnight D Shift (7:00 PM – 7:00 AM, Wed-Sat on long weeks and Thu-Sat on short weeks).

This onsite role focuses on maintaining product safety, quality conformance and regulatory compliance in a dry savory operation producing Knorr and Lipton products. You will serve as the on-shift Quality authority, uphold cGMPs, manage holds and deviations, support lab technicians, and partner with production and planning to

Responsibilities

• On-Shift Decisions: act as the real-time Quality decision-maker, dispositioning product and making stop/go calls to protect safety and conformance.
• Compliance Assurance: ensure on-shift compliance with Sanitation requirements, QC specs, food safety, cGMPs and regulatory requirements.

Job description

JOB TITLE: Quality Specialist (Nights) LOCATION: Independence, MO HOURS: D Shift night schedule: 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM, Wed-Sat on long weeks and Thu-Sat on short weeks.

This role is onsite. Hybrid and remote options, relocation or international assignments are not supported.

Earlier this year (March 2026), Unilever announced an agreement to separate our Foods business. Our Foods business, including brands such as Hellmann's and Knorr, will join forces with McCormick to become a global flavour leader, with leading positions across spices, seasonings, condiments and complementary food categories, supported by a strong retail and foodservice platform. McCormick has 135+ years of heritage, a presence in 150+ countries and territories, and a portfolio of trusted brands. The transaction remains subject to consultation, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions with a targeted deal close of mid-2027.

JOB PURPOSE

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to be part of a winning team? Unilever is recruiting for a Quality Specialist to join our Independence Team on D Shift (nights). The Independence Site is primarily a dry savory operation producing Knorr and Lipton products that also has a Tea production operation. Every day is a new adventure as the site continues to grow and improve. With more than 400 brands focused on health and wellbeing, no company touches so many people’s lives in so many ways. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. This is a backfill for our current D Shift Quality Specialist and will provide dedicated Quality coverage and front-line leadership across the overnight window - the hours when real-time decisions keep product safe, compliant, and moving.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Senior Quality Manager, the D Shift Quality Specialist is the on-shift Quality authority for the overnight team. This person upholds factory specifications, standards and the Quality Management System (QMS), with responsibility for ensuring compliance with Sanitation requirements, Quality Specifications, Food Safety Requirements, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), as well as applicable regulatory requirements. This key Quality role makes real-time Quality decisions, navigates upset events, manages Holds and deviations, supports the Quality Lab Technicians, and provides front-line Quality leadership when the majority of salaried support is off site. This person will work with the on-shift Quality Technicians, production teams, and shift leadership to identify and execute process and material improvements, and will hand off cleanly to day-shift Quality Systems Specialists to close the loop. This role will report on shift Quality performance to the Quality Manager.

Core On-Shift Responsibilities

• On-Shift Quality Decisions: Serve as the empowered, real-time Quality decision-maker on shift - dispositioning product, authorizing release/rework, and making stop/go calls that protect consumer safety and product conformance.
• Compliance Assurance: Ensure on-shift compliance with Sanitation requirements, approved Quality Specifications, Food Safety Requirements, cGMPs, site standards, and applicable regulatory requirements; identify, correct, document, and escape compliance gaps promptly.
• Hold Management: Own Hold identification, blocking, investigation, and disposition on shift; place material to Hold in SAP/QualityOne, initiate E-Incidents, and coordinate next steps and final disposition with Operations and Planning per the site Hold Process.
• Deviations & Non-Conformances: Identify, document, and drive deviations and non-conformances (SNCR) to closure; ensure root-cause capture and CAPA hand-off, and elevate appropriately when specifications are not met.
• Upset Event Navigation: Lead the Quality response during upset events, technology gaps, and abnormal conditions - triage impact, contain product, direct rework/dispositioning, and partner with Operations on RCA with the teams.
• Quality Lab Tech Support: Provide technical guidance and coverage for on-shift Quality Lab Technicians - support analytical testing, troubleshooting, method execution, and lab decisions; verify results are actioned and gaps are closed.
• Front-Line Leadership for Quality: Act as the front-line Quality leader for the shift - set priorities, coach and develop on-shift Quality Technicians, represent Quality in Tier meetings, and hold all levels accountable as Quality champions.
• Shift Handover & Continuity: Deliver a clean, data-driven handover into and out of D Shift so priorities, open Holds, deviations, and upset-event status carry forward without loss.

WHAT MAKES YOU A FIT?

• You're a strategy guru: you have a knack for linking tactical on-shift activities to program pro