Quality Technician I- 1st & 2nd Shift

Maker's Pride; Itasca (IL); On-site; USD 24,889 - 35,449; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible spending account

Paid holidays and vacation

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Maker's Pride in Itasca, IL seeks a Quality Technician to ensure food safety within the Quality Monitoring Scheme and meet regulatory, customer, and company quality initiatives.

Responsibilities include hourly quality checks on multiple lines, documenting findings, maintaining 5S, handling non-conformances, and supporting HACCP tests while upholding confidentiality and safety procedures.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; post‑secondary education preferred.
• 3 months of QA/quality assurance experience preferred.
• Ability to spot defects on fast-moving production lines and communicate clearly.

Responsibilities

• Perform quality checks on production lines hourly for multiple lines.
• Report discrepancies in QMS (HACCP, Allergen, Sanitation, GMP) to supervisor/QA.
• Ensure products meet legal and customer requirements per Bluebook guidelines.
• Complete daily paperwork accurately and promptly.
• Maintain 5S standards and keep work areas clean and organized.
• Keep all operational information confidential and secure.
• Maintain instrumentation and equipment; label and store samples and retentions.
• Follow Hold Procedures for non-conforming materials or products.
• Perform HACCP and Preventive Controls checks as needed.
• Assist in test runs and new product trials as required.
• Support audits or inspections as needed.
• Perform other duties as required by supervisor.

Skills

Attention to detail

Verbal & written communication

Spanish (plus)

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Post high school education

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

What We Want To Give You

We offer a competitive wage and wide array of benefits including:

• health/dental/vision insurance
• flex spending accounts
• short & long-term disability
• paid holidays and vacation
• bonus opportunities (referral, production, etc.)

Job Summary

The Quality Technician is responsible for ensuring that all elements of food safety within the Quality Monitoring Scheme are being met. Ensures that all regulatory, customer, and company quality initiatives are being met and maintained.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Perform Quality checks on production lines in a timely and accurate fashion every hour per line (will frequently be responsible for 3 lines at any given time).
• Brings discrepancies with the QMS to the attention of Supervisor or Quality Manager. These discrepancies are but not limited to HACCP programs, Allergen programs, Sanitation procedures, GMP findings, Foreign Material findings, and HOLD procedures.
• Ensure that product being produced meets all legal and customer requirements as outlined in the Bluebook for each product.
• Complete paperwork in a timely and accurate fashion each day.
• Perform required tasks to maintain 5‑S and keep work areas clean.
• Keep all information pertaining to our operations (products, customers, production details, etc.) confidential.
• Maintain instrumentation and equipment in good condition and store appropriately.
• Label, store, and organize samples and product retentions.
• Follow Hold Procedures for all non‑conforming materials or product.
• Perform HACCP and Preventive Controls checks/tasks as needed.
• Assist in test runs and new product trials as needed.
• Perform other audits or inspections as required.
• Perform other duties as required by supervisor.

Minimal Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required. Post High School education preferred.
• Required – 3 months of experience as a Quality Assurance Technician.
• Preferred – 1 year of experience as a QA Technician or other Technical department.
• Must have good attention to detail and be able to spot defects on fast‑moving production lines.
• Must be able to gain a basic understanding of how different machinery operates as it relates to the quality of the product and adjustments that need to be made to correct certain conditions.
• Good verbal and written communication skills. Ability to speak, write, and comprehend Spanish is a plus.
• Must be able to perform simple mathematic calculation, including working with fractions, ratios and percentages.
• Must be able to maintain good interpersonal communications and work collaboratively with co‑workers, employees from other departments, and superiors.
• Experience with MS Office Suite is needed.
• Follow all safety processes and procedures set forth by site leadership.

Work Environment And Physical Requirements

• Manufacturing environment - exposure to a variety of machines, noise levels, and varying temperatures.
• Depending on which location, our environments can be very warm or refrigerated.
• Team environment - must be able to work well with others and communicate in a respectful and professional manner.
• Must have ability to lift 40 pounds occasionally and stand or sit for lengthy durations.
• Must be able to work necessary overtime based on staffing needs and customer demand, as well as across shifts.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are legally authorized to work in the location to which they apply.

Starting Pay: Quality Technician I $21.90/hr. Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job‑related skills, and relevant education or training. The position is eligible for a discretionary annual incentive based on company and individual performance. We offer a comprehensive benefits package for full‑time employees including health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the 90th day of employment. This information is provided per the relevant state and local pay transparency laws for the location in which this position will be performed. Base pay information is based on market location.

Maker's Pride is an Equal Opportunity Employer.