Quality Control Technician

Accountable for specialist outputs, as well as initiating quality standards within defined work routines and policies.

Job Purpose

Ensuring that products meet strict standards of food safety, quality, and consistency. Responsible for monitoring and testing various aspects of production, from packaging inspections to final product analysis. This includes conducting chemical, physical and sensory tests and ensuring compliance with legal regulations. Enforce procedures to minimize defects, safeguard consumer health, and maintain the brand's reputation by guaranteeing that each product that reaches the market is of the highest quality.

Key Accountabilities and Outputs

Verifications

Daily verifications of laboratory equipment

Manufacturing Start UP Procedure

Check that the skew bar is set at the correct height, the barcode stickers and coding on bottle have the correct information and is legible

Check the torques on all capping heads

Check that labels, preforms and closures conform to spec

Report any non-conformances to the Line Supervisor and QC Supervisor

Authorize the line supervisor to proceed once start up results have been passed

Packaging Analysis

Testing of preforms, such as height, weight, neck finish dimensions and recording of batch numbers for tarceability

Testing of blown bottles such as height, burst pressure, sectional weight, stress cracking, fill point capacity, drop test, visual inspections, wall thickness, base weight, neck finish dimensions

Testing of closures such as height, skew cap detection, outer diameter, inner seal, secure seal

Label Inspections to ensure the application is correct on visual parameters such a as bond line creep, damaged label graphics, flagged label, label placement gap, label repeat, misapplied / mismatched label, out of registration, torn label, wrinkled label, visible glue.

Testing of labels for glue application

Rinse residue tests

Inspections

Inspection of the Date and Batch code applications to ensure it is legible and correct

Rinse pressure Inspections

Inspection of barcode stickers to ensure compliance with product running on line

Inspection of Shrink wrapping

Conducting Tension force measurements on Palletized product

Documentation and Record Keeping

Recording of all results

Raising non-conformances to the QC Supervisor, Isolation of Non- conforming product / packaging

Sampling

Ensure that the correct number of samples are taken for the relevant departments such as QC, QA, Retention and Micro

Final Product

Ensure that the product meets the Final Product Specifications

Conduct all tests in accordance with the established testing plan, which includes but not limitied to Brix, CO2, pH, Sensory etc

Raising non-conformances to the QC Supervisor, Isolation of Non- conforming product

Collaborate with production and other relevant departments on root cause cause investigations on internal non conformities

Water

Perform all tests in accordacne with the established testing plan

Raise non-conformances to the QC Supervisor

GMP of the lines

Ensure that lines are clean at all times

General

Ensure that all Good Lab Practices are implemented and adhered to

Ensure good houskeeping of the lab and associated work stations

Esnure accurate sampling and analysis of in process and final products

Ensure that the testing schedules with the required frequencies and sampling sizes etc are adhered to

Foster a positive and collaborative working relationship with Operations

Escalate any quality or food safety risks to the relevant functional heads

Adherence to the health, safety, food and environmental standards

Staff shall adhere to all Food Safety Policies and PRP’s and shall adhere to and enforce all food safety requirements at all times

Staff shall adhere to Health, Safety & Environmental Policies and PRP’s and shall adhere to and enforce all Health and Safety requirements at all times

Visitor and Contractor Policy – staff shall ensure that visitors or contractors entering the facility are signed in, escorted and wear PPE, are aware of the hygiene policies and do not smoke, eat or drink inside the facility

Code of Practice – staff shall maintain high levels of personal hygiene in accordance with the code of conduct

Handwashing Procedure – Ensuring staff are cleaning and sanitizing hands efficiently before handling the product.

Physical Contamination Control Policy and Procedure – Staff shall be aware of the potential of physical product contamination. Staff is aware of control measures to prevent physical contamination.

Safety, Health and Environment Policy – Staff take reasonable measures to ensure health and safety hazards do not occur. Should an accident occur, staff shall be aware of the procedure of reporting the incident.

First Aid Policy – Staff are aware of the first aider on site. Staff is trained to report injuries and illness to supervisors / first aiders.

Conversant with relevant business information, policies, processes and procedures

Enforce compliance with relevant legislative and statutory requirements

Enforce GMP’s and conduct themselves in a manner conducive with food safety practices

Attend Training and enforce learnings from the training for Quality, Food Safety and Health & Safety that been prescribed for them

Be vigilant of food defense and food fraud risks

Maintain a high level of housekeeping within the work environment

General

Responsible to ensure housekeeping is performed and ensure that all products and activities are stored and are executed within the demarcated areas according to the housekeeping policy (green red and yellow areas)

Conversant with relevant business information, policies, processes and procedures

While Job Descriptions are written up for the purpose of a basic outline of the work and responsibilities associated with the Job, the Company encourages and expects all employees from time to time, to assist with work that may not be a direct part of their job description

Qualifications and Experience

Grade 12 / Matric / Min National Diploma Food Tech, Analytical Chemistry

Upto 3 years’ experience (Operational Execution) FMCG; Bottling Equipment

Basic MS Excel; MS Word; E Mail

Key Qualities

Communication

Routine communication in connection with instructions, requests or normal work tasks

Problem Solving

Proactive identification of problems that are concrete and procedural, troubleshoot and apply solutions in line with guidelines provided or escalate more complex problems to superiors, providing information required to solve problems.

Relationships Maintained

Others outside of own work area but inside the organisation

Verbal Communication

Able to communicate verbally in a logical manner.

Takes the intended audience into account when communicating verbal information.

Makes use of appropriate business language in verbal communication.

Includes all relevant information in verbal arguments.

Demonstrates proficiency of language in verbal communication.

Interprets complex information to expresses own viewpoint in verbal communication.

Concludes verbal arguments by making reference to relevant facts

Decision Making

Organises information to make it easier to analyse or see trends.

Anticipates consequences and formulates alternatives.

Establishes clear decision criteria for making informed choices.

Seeks relevant information to better understand situations and problems.

Conducts appropriate analysis; neither makes snap decisions or over-analyses.

Sees relationships between various facts, figures or other information.

Increases performance expectations when success has been achieved

Seeks out sources of information, including trade associations, “best practice” companies, customers, peers, subordinates, etc.

Finds ways to fast-adapt improvement ideas to work processes

Proactively seeks out resources, alliances, etc., needed to quickly introduce improvements

Helps others with their work.

Meets commitments to team members or others in the organisation.

Actively contributes to team discussions and the accomplishment of team work plans.

Shares expertise and resources to help others address their needs.

Seeks to include all those who can contribute to the most successful outcome and those who have a stake in the results.

Actively keeps all stakeholders informed.

Attempts to reinvigorate team processes when progress is lagging : stays engaged even when not in full agreement with the team’s direction.

Accountability

Accomplishes assigned tasks and goals : takes necessary actions to keep progress against objectives on track and prepares a roadmap for success.

Ensures that all who need to know, are clear about the plan.

Takes full responsibility for own actions and outcomes, including mistakes.

Always acts in the company’s best interest, regardless of whether it is difficult or unpopular.

Ensures others are on track for achieving their goal.