Quality Technician – Food Manufacturing

SURGE Staffing; West Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

SURGE Staffing is seeking a detail-oriented Quality Technician to support QA and food safety operations in a food manufacturing environment. You will conduct daily quality inspections, perform laboratory testing, monitor production processes, and ensure materials and finished products meet customer specs and safety standards.

The ideal candidate has basic lab skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to follow documented procedures while communicating quality concerns to production

Qualifications

• Experience in quality assurance or food manufacturing preferred.
• Basic laboratory skills and familiarity with testing equipment.
• Proficient in basic math and calculating test results.
• Ability to read, write and follow written procedures.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify inconsistencies.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Flexibility to work overtime.
• Proficiency with basic computer skills and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily production line audits to ensure quality and safety.
• Review, approve, and correct production batches against specs.
• Conduct routine laboratory testing with various equipment.
• Perform analytical tests (pH, Brix, salt, etc.).
• Record quality data and maintain documentation.
• Coach production staff on quality procedures.
• Flag quality or safety concerns to supervision.
• Follow all food safety and manufacturing safety policies.
• Complete pre-operational inspections and PC checks.
• Manage holds inspections and audits on materials.

Skills

Quality awareness

Attention to detail

Basic math

Basic computer skills

Reading/writing procedures

Communication skills

Independent work

Overtime ability

Following procedures

Tools

Testing equipment

Job description

Quality Technician - Food Manufacturing

Job Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented Quality Technician to support quality assurance and food safety operations in a food manufacturing environment. This position is responsible for conducting daily quality inspections, performing laboratory testing, monitoring production processes, and ensuring raw materials and finished products meet established customer specifications and food safety standards.

The ideal candidate will have strong attention to detail, basic laboratory skills, the ability to perform quality testing, and experience following documented procedures. This role works closely with production teams to identify quality concerns, maintain accurate documentation, and ensure products consistently meet quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform daily production line audits to ensure products meet quality standards, customer specifications, and food safety requirements.
• Review, approve, and correct production batches based on established quality specifications.
• Conduct routine laboratory testing using various testing equipment and procedures.
• Perform analytical testing, including pH, Brix, salt, Vitamin C, titratable acidity (TA), and other product-specific tests.
• Compare production batches against established control samples and perform sensory evaluations.
• Conduct physical testing of raw materials and finished products to verify they meet customer requirements.
• Complete pre-operational inspections and Preventive Control (PC) checks.
• Monitor production processes to ensure required quality checks are completed accurately and consistently.
• Identify, document, and communicate quality or food safety concerns to the appropriate personnel.
• Perform additional inspections and audits on raw materials or products placed on hold.
• Maintain accurate quality records, reports, and production documentation.
• Coach production associates on proper quality procedures and production data collection.
• Follow all company policies, food safety requirements, and general manufacturing safety practices.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Previous experience in quality assurance, quality control, laboratory testing, or food manufacturing is preferred.
• Basic laboratory skills and familiarity with testing equipment.
• Basic math skills, including the ability to use formulas and calculate test results.
• Basic computer skills and the ability to complete quality documentation accurately.
• Ability to read, write, and follow written procedures and instructions.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify product or process inconsistencies.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to follow food safety guidelines, quality procedures, and workplace safety rules.
• Ability to work overtime as needed.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, crouch, stoop, reach, stretch, and climb throughout the shift.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to use various testing equipment, tools, and instruments requiring proper hand-eye coordination.
• Ability to perform physical activities associated with a manufacturing and laboratory environment.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who takes pride in maintaining high-quality standards and understands the importance of food safety. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, dependable, comfortable performing routine testing, and confident communicating quality concerns to production personnel.