Job Description:
Lakeside Organic Gardens, the state's largest organic grower, packer, and shipper, is currently looking for a Cooler Quality Control Specialist in Watsonville, CA.
As the Cooler Quality Control Specialist you will be responsible for the quality of all products received or sold by Lakeside Organic Gardens. This includes checking all aged products in the cold room and reporting shelf life to the Sales Manager and inspecting all products upon arrival at the cooler. If there are any product, packaging, labeling or pallet conditions that do not meet specifications, you will report to the Quality Control Manager, Receiving, Sales Manager and Facility Manager.
Responsibilities & Duties:
- Keep active open communication with Sales, Harvest, Cooler and Operation Manager.
- Ensure loads are being accurately received and proper receiving protocol is being followed to maintain proper rotation and thorough documentation.
- Work with the Receiving Team, Quality Control Manager, and Harvest to resolve problem arrivals.
- Monitor customer protection requests and report losses.
- Walk cooler and inspect any aged, dated and poor quality product in cooler and report to sales, operations manager and harvest manager. Monitor temperatures outside and inside the cold room.
- Take responsibility for any rejected product and manage repack to meet quality standards. Report all food safety concerns. Call for USDA inspection when necessary.
- Monitor the product cold chain and product ice levels.
- Monitor product arrival to cooling times.
- Manage any food safety issues related to harvest, cooling and storing.
- Oversee and assist shipping and receiving in Holtville.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bilingual - English and Spanish desired.
- 2-3 years QA experience, preferably in fresh organic produce.
- Ability to work inside the cooler with a temperature range between 34° - 45°F and outdoors with a temperature range of 55° - 95°F.
- Ability to stand for the majority of a shift in a cold, wet environment.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be a self-starter, with the ability to work independently.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, supervisors, vendors, and peers.
- Ability to carry out defined procedures with specific instructions and ability to learn new duties with minimal repetition.
- Experience with Famous Software is a plus.
