Sr Specialist Quality Assurance

Location: Stuarts Draft, VA   Position Summary The Sr Quality Assurance Specialist serves as a critical liaison between Quality Assurance (QA) and Manufacturing, providing support to manufacturing operations and acting as the QA representative on shift for a Business Unit. This role covers primarily 1st shift, M-F, with rotating on-call responsibility on weekends. The role ensures compliance with company and regulatory policies related to product safety and quality, and may include environmental duties. The Specialist is a technical resource for Manufacturing and Engineering, offering leadership in weight control, packaging, incident investigation, troubleshooting, and related matters. QA support is provided to the assigned Business Unit (BU), with a strong focus on Hershey’s quality systems requirements. Some laboratory duties are required.   Responsibilities:

• Compliance: Facilitate production activities to meet quality/safety specifications and regulatory standards through training, auditing, troubleshooting, and incident management.
• Training: Educate and train plant employees on food quality and safety issues; follow up to ensure understanding.
• Auditing: Conduct audits per Product Excellence Program (PEP), HACCP, and environmental compliance procedures; review CCP paperwork.
• Incident Management: Investigate and analyze incidents, initiate corrective actions, and communicate findings.
• Sampling/Instrumentation: Supports sampling programs (micro, pesticide, environmental, retained samples), and remains open to building capability with analytical instrumentation.
• HACCP: Conduct internal audits on HACCP and PEP systems, document/report findings, and follow up on non-conformances.
• Sanitation Inspections: Perform regular sanitation inspections and audits of sanitation practices and prerequisite systems, ensuring compliance and driving improvements.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead improvement teams, prepare reports, and support new product efforts from test runs to full-scale production.

  Minimum Experience and Educational Requirements:   B.S. or A.S. in Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Food Science, Microbiology, or related field, or equivalent experience. 1–5 years of related experience.  

• Initiative, drive, and ability to exemplify Hershey behaviors.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships, trust, and dependability within the QA team.
• Strong problem-solving/root cause analysis (RCA), critical thinking, and passion for improvement.
• Quality Assurance background (experience beyond Consumer Packaged Goods is transferable).
• Knowledge of federal/state food industry regulations, sanitation/pest control, and GFSI standards.
• Strong computer/document management skills, attention to detail, and effective communication.
• Ability to work flexible hours and alternate shifts should the business need require.
• Experience contributing to a strong team dynamic.
• Leadership skills to influence and direct activities of teams without direct reporting lines.

    The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.   The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.  You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability. You can request an accommodation via phone or email.  To request an accommodation via phone, please call +1 877-804-1794 and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to ApplicationHelp@hersheys.com. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.

 

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.