Junior Food Safety And Quality Compliance

Intefoto; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 50 000 - 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food processing company in South Africa is seeking a Junior Food Safety and Quality Compliance Officer to assist in maintaining safety standards and compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate should have 1-3 years of experience in quality control and relevant qualifications. Responsibilities include monitoring quality management systems and participating in audits. The role offers a temp-to-perm contract with competitive pay.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years in quality control within a food processing or meat processing environment.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, HACCP principles, and GMP.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Keeping up to date with legislation.
• Supporting safety culture initiatives.
• Ensuring effective implementation of health and safety management systems.

Skills

Quality control procedures

Food safety principles

Sampling techniques

Basic laboratory skills

Data analysis

Education

Environmental Health, Meat Science, Microbiology, or a related field

Relevant certifications such as SAMTRAC or NEBOSH

Job description

Job Title

Junior Food Safety and Quality Compliance Officer

Department: Quality Assurance

Reports to: Food Safety and Quality Compliance Officer

Location: Best Pork PTY., Ltd, 35 Woburn Avenue, Benoni

Job Summary

A Junior food Safety and Quality Compliance Officer helps an organization maintain safety standards and adhere to quality regulations by assisting with risk assessments, safety audits, training, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Keeping up to date with legislation.
• Supporting safety culture initiatives.
• Ensuring the effective implementation of health, safety, and quality management systems to prevent incidents and ensure product conformity.
• Receiving Area (incl. Chiller) carcass inspections (quality, foreign matter contamination, carcass cleanliness, truck & product temperatures, staff hygiene practices).
• Truck temperature checks during receiving and verifying compliance to the standards; stock movement in the chiller; ensuring the quality and cold chain is maintained.
• Packaging checks and Dispatch Area incl. Chillers and Freezer monitoring.
• Market returns checks (online and offline) and assuring quality before products are sent to the market.
• Verification of the Product Release process and issuing COC; ensuring correct labelling.
• Monitoring stock in the chillers and freezers.
• Working with sales, QC team members and production on trials, organoleptic tests, shelf life, product labels, and ensuring staff training records are up to date.
• Investigating customer complaints together with departmental team members and leaders.
• Deboning and Value Add process: process monitoring (according to specs) and communicating/verifying changes in the processes; ensuring cuts meet specific size, shape and weight requirements; verifying that deboned products are free of contaminants and meet food safety standards.
• Monitoring the use of equipment in the facility (knives, blade steel, bandsaw).
• Checking that the production teams adhere to standards and procedures, monitoring personal hygiene practices.
• Communicating new and discontinued suppliers to ensure questionnaires are sent out and specifications are met.
• Data collection: heat‑map reports, check‑sheets and inputting data into the database.
• Gathering chillers and freezer temperature records and reporting non‑conformances to engineering.
• Investigating market returns and assuring quality before products are sent to market; foreign object monitoring.
• Process audits, laundry recon and quality report, ablutions and external area inspections; pest control and other GMP monitoring.
• Participating in audits and inspections conducted by regulatory bodies and customers (HACCP monitoring and verification).
• Documentation and record keeping (internal audits, supplier and receiving checks, non‑conformance reporting).
• Training and support; corrective actions and preventive actions; identifying and reporting quality issues and potential problems; follow‑up on the effectiveness of implemented actions.
• Communication and collaboration: excellent verbal and written communication skills; effective collaboration with team members; reporting findings; collaborating with other departments to ensure product quality and consistency; participating in quality‑related meetings and training sessions.
• Equipment and environment: ensure that quality control equipment is properly maintained and calibrated; monitor cleanliness and hygiene of the production environment; report maintenance and sanitation issues.
• General Responsibilities (ADHOC) – SQA communicating with supplier, issuing and raising nonconformances, internal or external audit preparations.
• Participating in Food Safety activities (final product sampling, raw material sampling, swabbing with the Lab representative).

Qualifications and Experience

• Environmental Health, Meat Science, Microbiology, or a related field.
• Relevant certifications such as SAMTRAC or NEBOSH are often required.
• Years of experience: 1‑3 years in quality control within a food processing or meat processing environment (or food environment).
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, HACCP principles, and GMP.
• Experience with laboratory procedures and basic microbiological testing is an advantage.
• Exposure in the meat deboning facility or abattoir is an advantage.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Excellent observation and problem‑solving skills.
• Good communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in basic computer applications.

Skills and Competencies

• Technical Skills: Quality control procedures, food safety principles, sampling techniques, basic laboratory skills, data analysis.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous and observant, with a strong character.
• Problem‑Solving: Identifying and analyzing quality issues and recommending solutions.
• Communication: Clearly and effectively conveying information to different stakeholders.
• Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with colleagues in production and other departments.
• Time Management: Organizing and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines.
• Adaptability: Adjusting to changing priorities and production demands.
• Integrity: Maintaining ethical and professional standards.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift and move objects weighing up to (Specify weight – e.g., 20 kg).
• Exposure to varying temperatures in a cold, refrigerated environment within the processing environment.
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required.

Job Type

Temp to perm (Contract length: 3 months)

Pay: R