Lead day to day laboratory testing, product inspections and daily tasks at various stages of production process, maintain quality and food safety of products by performing the following duties.  This position directly reports to the Quality Laboratory Supervisor.

Job Summary

At Danone, Manufacturing the best products and supplying them to meet demand is a key driver for our plant teams.   We are currently looking to hire a Lead Quality Assurance Technician based in DuBois, Pennsylvania!  

Key Responsibilities

As a key member of our team, you will play an important role in driving our mission forward. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position:

• Selects products for testing at specified stages in the production process, and tests for a variety of qualities including chemical/physical characteristics, microbiological integrity, allergen presence and sensory evaluation requiring taste & smell.
• Analyzes incoming ingredients assuring compliance to specifications.
• Performs Quality Team Audits, including Good Manufacturing Practices and Housekeeping.
• Helps maintain compliance in Food Safety, FSSC, GMP, FSMA, Regulation and Safety.
• Records and evaluates test data, alerting Quality Assurance Manager/ Supervisor to any deviations from specifications.
• Prepares necessary reagents needed for laboratory functioning.
• Maintains lab equipment and supplies.
• Interfaces with work teams; acts as technical support in areas such as Quality Control techniques, Good Manufacturing Practices, and product quality/safety.
• Maintains Good Laboratory Practices (GLP’s)
• Knowledge and understanding of finished product specifications and expectations.
• Conducts pre-operative inspections.
• Participates in and/or owns quality, safety, or other Danone team.
• Ability to work as team and autonomously.
• Maintains records and documentation integrity.
• Reviews laboratory and production records for completion, accuracy, and adherence to food safety standards.
• Reviews and evaluates product for release, encompassing all quality and food safety aspects of the product
• Manages non-conforming products.
• Leads and mentors other QA team members.
• Assists with projects when needed.
• Communicates quality shift reports and manages transition to incoming shift.
• Takes an active role in finished goods and raw material traceability including participation in traceability exercises.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must regularly lift and / or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and / or move up to 25 pounds. and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. Requires normal range of hearing and vision (including colors) to record, prepare and communicate appropriate reports and laboratory results.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts and is regularly exposed to wet and / or humid conditions.
• The employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and may be exposed to loud noises in the plant making wearing of PPE essential.
• The employee occasionally works in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to extreme cold, risk of electrical shock, and vibration.
• Work is performed in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise.
• Work schedules include nights, weekends and/or holidays to provide the ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems

Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.    

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of education, experience, and skills that enable them to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline what we’re looking for, including both required and preferred criteria:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in Food Science or related area; two or more-year related Quality Assurance experience.
• Good oral and written communication skills.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and regulations. Ability to write routine reports and business correspondence.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from other work groups in a professional manner.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical analysis. Ability to apply concepts such as fraction, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and work with abstract and concrete variables.
• Basic computer skills and knowledge of word processing and spread sheet programs.
• Knowledgeable or ability to learn laboratory equipment commonly used in the food industry (examples, but not limited to pH meters, FT1, food scan, allergen testing, packaging, pipetting/ liquid handling, viscometers, etc.)
• Understanding of calibration programs of food testing equipment.
• Experience in QA department of food manufacturing company preferred.
• Experience in the area of compliance in food manufacturing company to include working directly with kosher and organic highly preferred.

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Nutricia ®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free,  STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®. 

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. 

You’ll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

#LI-DNP