Quality Technician (Night Shift)

IRCA Group; Affton, Northern (MO, KY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) matching

Paid Vacation & Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

IRCA Group, a leading provider of semi-finished ingredients for bakery, pastry, and gelato markets, is seeking a Laboratory QA Technician to oversee product testing and quality assurance. The role emphasizes GLP/GMP adherence, audits, and maintaining lab operations to ensure food safety and quality across production lines.

Ideal candidates will have 2–3 years of lab experience in food manufacturing, familiarity with sensory analysis, and basic computer skills.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years laboratory experience in food manufacturing.
• Knowledge of GLP and GMP in a food production setting.
• Basic computer skills and familiarity with data tracking.

Responsibilities

• Adhere to GLP, GMP, and safety requirements.
• Maintain daily laboratory operations and record keeping.
• Perform chemical analyses, COA generation, and product specifications.
• Assist in internal audits and quality system reviews.
• Maintain inventory of laboratory materials and calibration activities.

Skills

GLP knowledge

GMP knowledge

Laboratory operations

Data analysis

Education

High school diploma

College chemistry coursework

Tools

COA systems

Job description

Company Overview:

IRCA is a leading international provider of semi-finished ingredients for the bakery,pastryand gelato markets, serving independent producers as well as large food manufacturers (e.g.CPG). Core products include chocolate, chocolate decorations, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, and otherbakery /pastry ingredients.

The Company, headquartered in Italy, wasacquiredby Advent International, the global Private Equity firm, in July 2022, and has a strongtrack recordof growth over the last decade. IRCA has made 2 bolt-on acquisitions in the areas of candied fruits (Cesarin) and pistachio ingredients (Anastasi) in2022, andrecently entered exclusive negotiations toacquirea leading manufacturer of sweet and cereal products in Europe and the US. The target’s business focuses on high value add specialty ingredients for the Food Manufacturers segment, with a portfolio that incorporates a range of products including sweet particulates, chocolate confections, baked inclusions, variegates and fruit purées.

This transformative deal would create a global leader in the semi-finished ingredients industry, with 22 manufacturing facilities in Europe,USand Vietnam and a combined €1 billion of revenues (2022).

Job Overview:

This positionis responsible forlaboratory operationsregardingproduct testing,internal audits, and monitoring production quality. This person has developed skills in monitoring quality systems andlaboratoryrelated duties. QA personnelare responsible fordisposition of products; this includes approval of products, packaging material, labels, as well as the holdandrelease of inventory. The QA laboratory technician plays a role in ensuring all products meet Food Safety and Food Quality requirements.

Requirements

• Adhere to good laboratory practices (GLP), good manufacturing practices (GMP)andsafety requirements.
• Responsible for daily laboratory operations.
• Maintains andperformduties that are needed to meetproduction orders(chemical analysis, product approvals, COA, and specifications).
• Maintains incoming and outgoing products (tracking, analysis, record keeping, database,etc.).
• Maintainsproductretains.
• Performs equipment/calibration in the lab and plant whereappropriate.
• Assistsin general audit of the quality system.
• Purchase andmaintainslaboratory inventory.
• Covers techs for vacations when needed and any calls in the lab.
• Assistsinmaintainingandunderstandsproduct specifications, SDS, TDS, and kosher documents.
• Responsible for analyzing test data todetermineacceptability.
• Disposition of material produced as well as incoming material.
• Responsible for approving packaging and labels for use.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education / Experience

• This position requires two-threeyearslab experience, knowledge offood manufacturingand sensory analysis, some knowledge of quality assurance programs, and basic computer skills.College level coursework in chemistry or pertinent job-related experience is preferred. Minimum high school diploma.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent, and ability to draw and interpret bar graphs
• Must use logical thought processes and deductive reasoning.
• Must be able to evaluate test data for the purpose ofdeterminingprocess control adherence anddetermineproper responses to "out-of-specification"product.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
• This position requires exposure to the production environment, climbingladdersand moderate lifting (less than 25 lbs.).

Work Environment

This position requires exposures to a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions,handling ofcertain hazardouschemicalsand exposure to common microbiological organisms.

Why Join Us:

Irca Group offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits: Medical, Dental, & Vision, 401(k) matching, Paid Vacation, and Holidays, Employee Education Tuition Reimbursement Program