Quality Lab Analyst

About Flora Food Group

We offer consumers a compelling choice in four growing categories: butters and spreads, creams, liquids and cheeses. We hold leadership positions in many of the 100 countries we operate in, with iconic brands including Flora, Becel+ProActiv, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, and Violife, together with our local brands and Professional business.

Global branded food champion Flora Food Group, offers the next generation of delicious, natural, nutritious food. Our products are more affordable and more sustainable than their dairy equivalents.

Quality Lab Analyst | Brantford, Canada

Position Description

This position will be based in Brantford, Canada. The Quality Lab Analyst will perform analytical, microbiological and allergenic testing to control and improve Quality and Food Safety within Brantford facility on a shift basis including weekend work when required. Also, will improve the Quality and FS of the plant using SNCR system and Hold of Finish Goods protocol in SAP. This position must be able to work on all shifts (nights, afternoons and days), on a rotation basis.

Core Responsibilities

Safety

• The Lab Analyst position will work safely by observing all safety rules, including proper utilization of lock out tag out when required. Ensure that procedures and practice adhere to safety policy and legislation.
• Wear the required PPE while performing all job duties.
• Certain tasks require additional PPE including but not limited to, gloves, apron, waterproof boots, goggles, and a face shield.
• Complete basic chemical safety training.
  
  

Workplace Hazards

• Utilize appropriate safety and environmental procedures for people, processes, materials, products, and equipment relevant to the tasks in your area.
• Work areas include Laboratory, Packaging Lines and Processes Areas
  
  

Quality/HACCP/Food Safety

• Knowledge of product quality and food safety procedures for the production lines.
• Perform and accurately record quality and food safety documentation where applicable.
• Control and prevents personnel understanding and adhere to color coding policies and reports non-compliance observed.
• Initiate and complete SNCRs as vendor sourced issues are identified by operations or other plant personnel.
• Prioritizes Consumer Safety by adhering to the strict Food Safety and GMP requirements set by the company and may halt activities when there is potential risk for noncompliance.
• Participate in the FS agenda through collaboration FS Team and their tasks.
• Participate in investigations of FS / Q Incidents with a continuous improvement point of view.
• Participate in new SOPs / SSOPs creation or revision of existing ones.
• Participate actively in Food Safety and Quality internal inspections and audits.
• Participate actively in Third Party Food Safety and Quality audits.
• Participate in Consumer and Customers investigation.
• Shift Sensory tasting of all products during the last 24 hours.
  
  

Responsibilities

Talent

• Annual calibration on microbiological and chemical-physical proficiency
• Completion of required QA & FS training for Cheese & Spreads
  
  

QMS

• Be up to date with procedures related to QA, FS and Lab operations for Cheese and Spreads categories.
• Review of lab operation related procedures documented in QMS.
  
  

Certification & GMP compliance

• Execute internal inspections based on the given schedule.
• Support external and internal audits performed by regulatory bodies, certification entities and customers.
  
  

Block & Release Process

• Communicate to QA leads about any non-conforming product that needs to be blocked outside of the factory.
• Communicate with 3PWH to block non-conforming products that need to be blocked after leaving factory premises.
• Communicate with production supervisor to prevent shipment of non-conforming products out of the factory and support RCAs of the issues.
  
  

Allergen Management

• Perform required tests by procedures to guarantee a ready to use line based on allergen management requirements.
• Perform required tests by procedures to verify compliance with label for RM, WIP & FG
  
  

Micro & Foreign Matter Prevention

• Test RM, PM, WIP and FG for indicators of Micro contamination.
• Assist with investigations related to Micro and Foreign Material incidents or near misses.
• Maintain environmental quality program and other micro activities scheduled and support RCAs when incident happens.
  
  

Contaminant and Label monitoring program

• Work with production / logistics team to obtain samples in required frequency and ship them to appropriate lab to maintain Contaminant and claims program.
  
  

Right First Time

• React quickly to prevent the majority of products to leave the factory and minimize product impacted as not right.
  
  

Innovations

• Extra support to obtain quality specifications results from trials and intensive care periods and introduce results in soft copy to be analyzed by QA leads.
• Work with production / logistics team to obtain samples and ship them to appropriate parties based on innovation requirements.
  
  

Supplier Qualification & Control

• Investigate supplier related incidents together with operations and communicate outcome to QA leads.
• Create supplier related incidents in SAP
  
  

3PM Qualification and Control

• Support approval of 3PMs by testing samples provided by 3PMs.
  
  

Warehouse & Logistics Qualification and Control

• Audit and inspection of warehouse daily or by given schedule.
• Provide information required to support warehouse operation (codes/BBMA/etc.)
  
  

Careline / Marketing

• Support investigation of consumer complaints gathering information from documentation and retains to be presented to QA leads other duties as assigned.
  
  

Environmental

• Follows proper containment and reporting procedures and escalates any environmental release as soon as they are known, this includes releases to internal drains.
• Reduce costs due to waste and minimize impact to health, safety, and the environment through working to eliminate waste and through the correct management of waste and hazardous materials.
• Must actively contribute to an eco-efficient environment including, but not limited to disposing of materials in the appropriate waste streams.
  
  

Problem Solving

• An awareness of how to identify, prioritize and address problems using appropriate tools and techniques that eliminate recurrence.
  
  

Teamwork

• Must be a team player capable of working within a highly effective team; responsible, supportive, and effective communicator.
  
  

Continuous Improvement Tools

• An awareness of how to use performance measures to identify and prioritize losses in production area; provides description of problems and can provide monitoring of process or line issues.
• May be required to complete or contribute to EWO and associated paperwork.
  
  

About you!

Minimum Requirements

• Studies in Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry,
• Experience of 2—5 years in Laboratory (Microbiology and Chemical – Physical)
• Previous manufacturing experience will be an asset 2-3 years’ experience in manufacturing environment required; food production environment preferred.
• GMP and HACCP knowledge
• Strong attention to detail and organization skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and work well within a team environment.
  
  

About Flora Food Group!

We are Flora Food Group, the largest plant-based consumer goods company in the world, and we believe in doing what’s right for our people, our consumers, and the planet.

We are a growth company. We have the knowledge and expertise of an established organisation with the agility, pace, and creativity of a start-up. We are the #1 producer of plant-based spreads globally, with iconic brands including Flora, Flora Plant, Rama, Blue Band, Proactive, Country Crock and Becel. We are also a leader in plant-based cheeses and creams, having welcomed Violife into the Flora family in 2020.

We have big ambitions, and we are looking for people with ambitions to match. People who love what they do, thrive on responsibility and are looking for career-defining opportunities. If you enjoy a challenge and a dynamic working environment, join us and we’ll give you the ownership you need to make a real impact on people’s lives and our planet.

What’s Next

If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!

We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Flora Food Group is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles. 

Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.

No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.