Sanitation Supervisor

G.P De Silva Spices & De Silva Brothers and Company; Pico Rivera (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

De Silva Brothers & Company is seeking a Sanitation Supervisor to own and manage the sanitation program across lines and rooms, ensuring timely cleaning and QA release. You will maintain MSS, update SSOPs, and uphold allergen control and kosher requirements while protecting uptime.

The role requires 3+ years in food sanitation, leadership experience, and bilingual English/Spanish. You will work nights and weekends as needed, coordinating with QA and production to meet audit standards.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of sanitation experience in food manufacturing.
• 1–2 years leading a sanitation team or crew.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, allergen control, SSOPs, and food safety requirements.
• Experience with sanitation chemicals, concentrations, and safe handling.
• Proven record of accurate, timely sanitation documentation.
• Able to work nights, weekends, and overtime as needed.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) and deep cleaning plans.
• Write, update, and validate SSOPs for spice production.
• Plan sanitation windows with production to avoid delays.
• Lead sanitation team, train staff, and schedule shifts.

Skills

Sanitation management

GMPs knowledge

Allergen control

Sanitation documentation

Bilingual English and Spanish

Tools

Excel

Digital forms

Job description

Field

Detail

Title

Company

De Silva Brothers & Company

Location

Department

Quality Assurance (Sanitation)

Reports to

QA Manager

Direct reports

Sanitation leads and sanitation associates

Shift

Aligned with sanitation windows; nights and weekends as needed

FLSA status

Exempt, full time

Position Summary

The Sanitation Supervisor owns the sanitation program at De Silva Brothers, making sure every line, room, and piece of equipment is cleaned, verified, and released to production on time. This role leads the sanitation team, keeps the Master Sanitation Schedule and SSOPs current, and maintains records that stand up to SQF, Kosher, customer, and regulatory audits.

As a contract manufacturer running frequent changeovers on dry spices, seasonings, and blends, sanitation directly protects allergen control, pathogen control, and uptime. The supervisor works independently of production pressure to make sure equipment is only released when it is truly clean.

Key Responsibilities

Sanitation program

• Own and maintain the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), covering daily, weekly, monthly, and periodic deep cleaning of all equipment and areas.
• Write, update, and validate Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), including dry cleaning methods suited to spice and seasoning production.
• Plan sanitation windows with the production scheduler and Production Manager so cleaning is completed without delaying scheduled runs.
• Manage cleaning tools, color coding, and dedicated equipment to prevent cross contamination between areas.

Food safety, allergens, and Kosher

• Execute allergen changeover cleaning and verify allergen removal before equipment is released.
• Perform pre-operational inspections and obtain QA release before lines restart.
• Support the environmental monitoring program, including swabbing, ATP testing, and response to positive results.
• Coordinate with QA and the Kosher supervising agency on cleaning and kashering requirements.
• Coordinate with the pest control provider and correct sanitation-related findings.

Team leadership

• Lead, train, and schedule sanitation leads and associates.
• Train the team on SSOPs, chemical safety, lockout/tagout, and GMPs, and keep training records current.
• Conduct start-of-shift meetings and hold the team accountable for quality and timeliness of cleaning.
• Address performance and conduct issues promptly, partnering with HR as needed.

Documentation and audits

• Make sure all sanitation records, pre-op checklists, and verification logs are completed accurately and in real time.
• Review sanitation records daily and correct gaps the same day.
• Support SQF, Kosher, customer, and regulatory audits, and close sanitation corrective actions on time.

Chemical and worker safety

• Manage cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, including inventory, concentrations, SDS, and proper storage.
• Enforce PPE, lockout/tagout, and safe work practices during all cleaning tasks.
• Investigate and report injuries and near misses, and follow through on corrective actions.

Coordination and continuous improvement

• Work with Maintenance on equipment teardown, reassembly, and repairs found during cleaning.
• Work with the warehouse on cleaning of storage, receiving, and shipping areas.
• Track sanitation time and labor, and recommend improvements that shorten cleaning time without reducing effectiveness.
• Manage the sanitation supplies budget and evaluate chemical and equipment vendors.

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of sanitation experience in food manufacturing, including 1 to 2 years leading a sanitation team or crew.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, allergen control, SSOPs, and food safety requirements.
• Experience with sanitation chemicals, concentrations, and safe handling.
• Proven record of accurate, timely sanitation documentation.
• Comfortable with basic computer tools (Excel, email, digital forms).
• Able to work nights, weekends, and overtime as needed.
• Bilingual English and Spanish.

Preferred

• Experience in dry ingredient, spice, or seasoning manufacturing.
• Experience in an SQF or other GFSI certified facility, and with Kosher programs.
• Experience with environmental monitoring and ATP testing.
• HACCP or PCQI certification, or willingness to obtain it.
• Experience in a contract manufacturing or co-packing environment with frequent changeovers.

Key Performance Measures

Area

Measure

Pre-op

Pre-operational inspection first-pass rate

Allergen changeover verifications passed (target: 100%)

Positive results traced to sanitation, and time to corrective action

Schedule

Master Sanitation Schedule tasks completed on time (target: 100%)

Uptime

Production delays caused by late sanitation release (target: zero)

Audits

Sanitation findings in SQF, Kosher, customer, and regulatory audits

Documentation

Sanitation records complete and accurate daily (target: 100%)

Safety

Recordable injuries and chemical incidents (target: zero)

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Stand, walk, bend, kneel, and climb ladders or platforms for extended periods.
• Lift up to 50 lbs occasionally, including equipment parts during teardown.
• Work with cleaning and sanitizing chemicals using required PPE.
• Work around machinery, noise, dust, wet floors, and varying temperatures.
• Exposure to food allergens, including spices and seeds handled in the facility.
• Follow GMP dress code (hairnets, beard nets, no jewelry).

Equal Opportunity Statement

De Silva Brothers & Company is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.

This job description outlines the general nature of the role. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and responsibilities may change based on business needs.

G.P De Silva Spices & De Silva Brothers and Company