Food Safety & Quality Assurance Specialist

Dutch Gold Honey

Lancaster, PA

Estimated pay: Est. $30–$36/hr (market estimate, not employer-stated)

Shift: Full time

**Position Summary**

The FSQA Specialist supports development, implementation, maintenance, verification, and continuous improvement of Dutch Gold Honey’s food safety and quality management systems. Reporting to the FSQA Manager, this role focuses on SQF compliance, audits, CAPA, supplier approval, document control, regulatory readiness, and cross-functional continuous improvement.

**Essential Duties and Responsibilities**

A. Food Safety Systems and SQF Compliance (25%)

• Maintain and improve the SQF food safety management system, prerequisite programs, SOPs and verification records.
• Coordinate preparation for SQF, customer, regulatory and third-party audits; track assigned audit-readiness actions.
• Support reviews of HACCP/preventive controls, food defense, food fraud, allergen and sanitation programs.
• Track deadlines and support implementation of applicable SQF Edition 10 requirements.

B. Internal Audits and CAPA (20%)

• Coordinate and conduct scheduled internal audits; document findings in Safefood 360.
• Support root cause investigations, corrective action assignment, effectiveness checks and closure.
• Maintain audit and CAPA registers; escalate overdue or recurring findings to the FSQA Manager.

C. Supplier Quality and Honey Authenticity (15%)

• Maintain supplier qualification, approval and periodic reassessment records.
• Review supplier questionnaires, certificates, specifications, COAs and supporting compliance documentation.
• Support risk-based supplier reviews, honey authenticity/adulteration prevention and approved testing coordination.
• Track supplier nonconformances and escalate testing or compliance concerns.

D. Document Control and Regulatory Compliance (15%)

• Maintain controlled documents, revision histories, approvals, distribution and record retention.
• Support compliance with applicable FDA FSMA and 21 CFR Part 117 requirements.
• Maintain traceability, mock recall, food defense and customer compliance documentation.
• Support technical questionnaires and regulatory or customer documentation requests.

E. Environmental Monitoring and Sanitation Verification (10%)

• Support risk-based environmental monitoring and review trends, laboratory results and sanitation verification records.
• Assist investigations of adverse results and coordinate verification of corrective actions.
• Collaborate with FSQA Supervisor and lab personnel on complete, timely testing records.

F. Training and Food Safety Culture (10%)

• Maintain training matrices, completion records and follow-up on gaps.
• Support GMP, food safety and SQF-related training and food safety culture initiatives.
• Participate in Gemba walks and cross-functional food safety meetings.

G. Reporting and Improvement (5%)

• Prepare weekly/monthly compliance reports and KPI dashboards.
• Identify recurring deficiencies and recommend preventive improvements.
• Support management review actions and other assigned FSQA initiatives.

**Authority and Accountability**

• Identify and document nonconformances; initiate investigations and corrective action requests under approved procedures.
• Request compliance records and recommend product holds, supplier restrictions or verification activities.
• Immediately escalate significant food safety concerns to the FSQA Manager.
• Final product disposition, supplier exceptions, regulatory submissions and policy changes require delegated approval.

**Qualifications**

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology or related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Two to three years of food manufacturing FSQA or compliance experience preferred; GFSI-certified environment experience beneficial.
• HACCP, PCQI, SQF internal auditor/practitioner, food defense or food fraud training preferred.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, FSMA, CAPA, auditing, document control and supplier approval.
• Strong writing, analysis, Excel and collaboration skills; Safefood 360 experience preferred.

**Reporting Relationships and Role Distinction**

Reports directly to the FSQA Manager. Collaborates with the FSQA Supervisor, Senior Lab Technician, day/night FSQA Technicians, Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Purchasing, Warehouse and HR. This position has no direct supervisory responsibility.

FSQA Specialist: food safety systems, documentation, supplier compliance, audits and CAPA. FSQA Supervisor: daily operational QA, laboratory oversight, technician coordination and shift-level verification.

**Working Conditions**

Work in office, laboratory, production and warehouse environments; standing and walking for inspections; required PPE and GMP compliance. Occasional shift flexibility may be needed. Reasonable accommodations will be considered as required by law.

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person