Senior Quality Assurance Specialist

Top Quality Recruitment (TQR); Indio (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced FSQA Coordinator to join a growing food manufacturing operation in the Coachella Valley area of Southern California. This on-site role focuses on maintaining and advancing food safety and quality programs within a dynamic facility.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical knowledge, leadership potential, and hands-on experience in audits, CAPA, and cross-functional collaboration with Operations, QA, and R&D. Relocation may be considered for qualified applicants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, or another related technical discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of food safety and quality assurance experience within food manufacturing; 5+ years preferred.
• Experience as SQF Practitioner and leading or supporting SQF certification audits.
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, allergen controls, traceability, recall, food defense, food fraud, CAPA, and applicable food safety regulations.
• Knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices and basic microbiological/laboratory practices.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Strong documentation, organization, communication, and follow-through skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the site SQF Practitioner, maintaining the SQF system and supporting the transition to SQF Edition 10.
• Lead gap assessments, program updates, corrective action follow-up, and certification audit readiness.
• Coordinate key food safety programs, including the Food Safety Team, HACCP Team, Recall Team, FSQA training, and internal audit programs.
• Serve as a primary FSQA resource during SQF, Organic, Kosher, customer, third-party, and regulatory audits and inspections.
• Maintain compliance with SQF, HACCP, GMPs, FSMA, Food Defense, Food Fraud, Organic, Kosher, and customer requirements.
• Conduct routine monitoring, verification, documentation review, and internal facility audits.
• Support and maintain the Food Safety Plan, Food Defense Plan, Food Fraud Program, Recall Plan, allergen controls, sanitation programs, shipping and receiving protocols, and related procedures.
• Investigate food safety, quality, sanitation, GMP, audit, regulatory, and customer issues.
• Participate in root cause analysis and CAPA activities and ensure closure.
• Coordinate FSQA training and maintain accurate training and compliance records.
• Partner with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, Supply Chain, R&D, and QA.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready FSQA documentation.
• Spend meaningful time on the manufacturing floor coaching employees and promoting a strong food safety culture.

Skills

HACCP

GMPs

Sanitation

Allergen controls

Traceability

Recall

Food defense

Food fraud

CAPA

Root cause

Documentation

Cross-functional

Communication

Hands-on

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/related technical discipline

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) Coordinator to join a growing food manufacturing operation in Coachella Valley area of Southern California.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced FSQA professional, Senior QA Specialist, SQF Coordinator, or SQF Practitioner who is ready to take greater ownership of food safety systems and build toward future leadership.

This is an individual contributor position with no direct reports. It is not intended to be a traditional QA Manager role. Instead, the successful candidate will serve as a key technical resource within the plant, own important food safety programs, work closely with senior FSQA leadership, and provide functional guidance and training across departments.

For a high-performing individual who demonstrates strong technical knowledge and leadership ability, there is potential for progression into an FSQA Manager position as the organization continues to develop.

What You’ll Do:

As the site SQF Practitioner, you will play a central role in maintaining and continuously improving the facility’s food safety and quality systems.

Key responsibilities include:

• Serve as the site SQF Practitioner, maintaining the SQF system and supporting the transition to SQF Edition 10.
• Lead gap assessments, program updates, corrective action follow-up, and certification audit readiness.
• Coordinate key food safety programs, including the Food Safety Team, HACCP Team, Recall Team, FSQA training, and internal audit programs.
• Serve as a primary FSQA resource during SQF, Organic, Kosher, customer, third-party, and regulatory audits and inspections.
• Maintain compliance with SQF, HACCP, GMPs, FSMA, Food Defense, Food Fraud, Organic, Kosher, and customer requirements.
• Conduct routine monitoring, verification, documentation review, and internal facility audits.
• Support and maintain the Food Safety Plan, Food Defense Plan, Food Fraud Program, Recall Plan, allergen controls, sanitation programs, shipping and receiving protocols, and related procedures.
• Investigate food safety, quality, sanitation, GMP, audit, regulatory, and customer issues.
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities and ensure actions are followed through to closure.
• Coordinate FSQA training and maintain accurate training and compliance records.
• Partner closely with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Warehouse, Supply Chain, R&D, and QA.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready FSQA documentation.
• Spend meaningful time on the manufacturing floor coaching employees, reinforcing expectations, and promoting a strong food safety culture.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate has developed a solid technical foundation in food safety and quality and is now ready for broader responsibility and visibility.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, or another related technical discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of food safety and quality assurance experience within food manufacturing; 5+ years is preferred.
• Previous experience serving as an SQF Practitioner and leading or supporting SQF certification audits.
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, sanitation, allergen controls, traceability, recall, food defense, food fraud, CAPA, and applicable food safety regulations.
• Knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices and basic microbiological/laboratory practices.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Strong documentation, organization, communication, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to work effectively across departments and influence others without having direct reporting authority.
• Comfortable working hands-on in a manufacturing environment rather than primarily from an office.

Preferred Qualifications

• HACCP certification.
• PCQI certification.
• Experience in dairy, non-dairy cultured products, pasteurized beverages, UHT processing, or aseptic filling.
• Experience participating directly in third-party, customer, or regulatory audits.

Who This Role Is Best Suited For

This opportunity may be particularly attractive to someone currently working as a:

You may already be the person others rely on for audits, SQF documentation, corrective actions, training, and food safety programs— but have not yet had the opportunity to move formally into management.

The role provides the opportunity to own important FSQA programs, gain broader plant-level exposure, work closely with senior FSQA leadership, and demonstrate the capabilities required for future advancement.

Work Requirements

This is an on-site position in the Coachella Valley area of Southern California. Candidates must currently reside in the region or be willing to relocate.

The position may occasionally require flexibility to support FSQA operations across shifts, including weekends, holidays, or after-hours situations.

Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship. The position does not provide current or future employment visa sponsorship.