Lab Food Safety Technician

At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in for than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.

 

Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.

A Typical Day

The Food Safety Technician is responsible for the accurate performance of gathering samples in accordance with HCC procedures for all microbiological and chemical tests surrounding environmental monitoring and Food Safety programs.

Job Responsibilities

• Ensure prompt transmission of accurate data and information to the plant and Food Safety staff regarding trends, concerns and plant observations. 
• Conduct audits and spot checks as assigned along with regularly scheduled monitoring of chemical handling/receiving, Hygiene zone, HACCP CCP Verifications, GMP checks, equipment inspections, pest control and audit finding verifications.
• In the event that the Food Safety Technician is unable to perform their food safety duties, the Food Safety Supervisor will perform the duties.
• Assist with assigned projects and responsibilities as need.
• Work well with minimal supervision
• Must be able to follow detailed instructions.
• Be able to effectively communicate with all departments
• Must be able to multi-task and organize priorities
• Display critical thinking and trouble shooting skills
• Active participation and ownership in your training and development program and associated activities, classes and events, which will be held before, during, after shifts and during scheduled days off. 
• Help coach and train teammates and participate in on the job, buddy training.
• Place high priority on food safety and sanitation by understanding and executing HCC’s food safety and sanitation policies and procedures.
• Hold self and others accountable to HCC’s food safety & sanitation guidelines and policies by communicating any food safety incident, observation, or opportunity to your leadership team or teammates. 
• Participate in food safety and sanitation root cause analysis and improvement activities when required.  
• Prioritize safety above all other job duties by having a safety first approach at all times. 
• Report any safety issues, observations, opportunities to your teams and follow up. 
• Participate in departmental safety teams.
• Annual completion of OSHA required safety training.
• Promote Company Culture 
• Achieve common business goals through cooperative alignment with all departments.

What You Will Need

• English skills must be proficient to understand, read, write and speak English 
• High School diploma or GED from an accredited institution 
• 4 months of lab or production experience (lab experience can include high school science courses)
• Ability to read, study, understand and implement published lab procedures and tasks.
• Must be able to work weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts (days/Swings/graveyard).
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Ability to lift 50 lbs

What Will Put You Ahead

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biological Sciences, Chemistry or related fields 
• 6 months experience in a laboratory or production setting  
• Intermediate experience with SAP 

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to:

• Stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and talk or hear.
• Stand and walk almost the entire workday.
• Employees must be physically capable of working in any of the job tasks within the cheese plant.
• Required to work at heights and in fairly small areas.
• Pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, handling and graspin