Job Title: Quality Assurance Laboratory ManagerJob DescriptionThis role leads the Quality Assurance Soup Laboratories, including both the Chemistry and Microbiological Laboratories, within a manufacturing plant environment. The Quality Assurance Laboratory Manager oversees product quality and food safety by managing laboratory operations, coordinating product start-ups and reformulations, supporting product release processes, and ensuring compliance with specifications, regulatory requirements, and internal quality systems. The position collaborates closely with Quality Systems, Logistics, Operations, R&D, and Purchasing to manage laboratory data, resolve specification issues for materials and finished products, and drive continuous improvement in quality performance.
Responsibilities
- Manage the daily operations of the plant Quality Assurance Soup Laboratories, including the Chemistry Lab and Microbiological Lab, to ensure accurate, timely, and reliable testing of ingredients, in-process materials, and finished products.
- Coordinate test runs and start-ups for new products and reformulations in partnership with plant operations personnel, Formula and Procedures Coordinators, Quality Specialists, and R&D representatives.
- Organize and report on the conformance of new products to specifications, ensuring alignment with the Policy on Specifications Development and communicating results and recommendations to management.
- Report outcomes of product start-ups and reformulations to management, providing clear recommendations on required corrective actions or process adjustments.
- Coordinate corrective action plans between the plant, Quality Assurance, R&D, and business teams to achieve and maintain compliance with product and ingredient specifications.
- Establish and maintain schedules for sampling products in accordance with specifications and food safety and quality requirements.
- Ensure the microbiology and chemistry laboratories comply with corporate requirements, including implementing training, corrective actions, and standard operating procedures as needed.
- Maintain and oversee the database and MES system used for statistical tracking of quality attributes, ensuring data integrity and timely issuance of monthly quality conformance reports to management.
- Coordinate and lead corrective action plans when conformance issues or specification deviations occur, ensuring thorough investigation, documentation, and follow-up.
- Supervise laboratory technicians responsible for product and ingredient analyses, including microbiological testing and data entry, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, scheduling, and equipment readiness to meet plant testing requirements.
- Investigate and troubleshoot out-of-specification results, including microbiological specifications and container or ingredient integrity issues, and partner with operations and maintenance to implement effective corrective actions.
- Ensure daily sensory or quality panels are completed, documented, and compliant with established standards and procedures.
- Coordinate implementation and monitoring of in-process specification control programs to support consistent product quality and food safety.
- Use MES, Zarpac, Historian, Power BI, and other data reporting tools to compile, analyze, and present quality data for decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Manage the supplier quality monitoring program by establishing sampling schedules for ingredients to ensure compliance with specifications when required.
- Work with plant teams, purchasing, and supply quality functions to assess supplier performance when out-of-specification results occur, updating sampling criteria and laboratory or receiving work instructions as needed.
- Maintain and manage the supplier non-conformance database, ensuring timely issuance and documentation of non-conformance reports for ingredients, packaging, services, and other materials, and follow up on corrective actions.
- Serve as a resource to plant departments on supplier non-conformances and provide updates to purchasing and quality stakeholders for inclusion in management review processes.
- Support purchasing by participating in supplier visits and inspections as needed to assess quality systems and compliance.
- Support Quality department activities, including preparation for and participation in third-party audits, commercialization efforts, internal audits, mock recalls, and other designated quality functions.
- Support plant operational excellence initiatives, including pillar activities and Daily Direction Setting (DDS) processes, by providing quality data and expertise.
- Ensure timely product release decisions related to set-asides, incubated product, microbiological evaluations, out-of-specification product, and product development or packaging trials.
- Use WMS, SAP, Rebus, or other third-party portals to manage and document product releases and related quality holds.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Logistics and Operations, to coordinate product releases and ensure that only compliant product is shipped.
- Promote a culture of food safety, quality, and continuous improvement within the laboratory and across the plant by reinforcing standards, coaching team members, and sharing best practices.
Essential Skills
- High School Diploma or GED.
- Bachelor of Science degree in food science, biology, microbiology, or a related technical field.
- At least 3 years of experience in Quality Assurance, laboratory practices, or food experience within a manufacturing environment.
- At least 5 years of experience in the food industry with demonstrated achievements in Quality Assurance or laboratory practices.
- Proven experience managing plant Quality Assurance laboratories, including Chemistry and Microbiological Labs, preferably in a soup or similar food manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated experience with laboratory data management and coordinating resolution of specification issues for materials and finished products.
- Strong knowledge of food manufacturing quality systems, including specifications compliance, ingredient and product testing, and in-process controls.
- Hands-on experience with microbiology and chemistry laboratory practices, including sample handling, testing methods, and documentation.
- Competency in using MES systems and related data reporting tools to track and analyze quality attributes.
- Experience with SAP, WMS, Rebus, or similar systems for managing product releases and quality-related transactions.
- Ability to supervise and develop laboratory technicians, including scheduling, workload management, and performance oversight.
- Strong troubleshooting skills for out-of-specification results, including microbiological and packaging or container integrity issues.
- Effective communication skills for reporting start-up outcomes, quality performance, and corrective action plans to management and cross-functional teams.
- Ability to coordinate and support third-party audits, internal audits, and mock recalls.
- Knowledge of food safety and quality standards, including HACCP principles and preventive controls.
- HACCP certification and/or PCQI certification.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Degree specialization in food science, biology, microbiology, or a closely related discipline.
- Experience working in a soup or similar ready-to-eat food manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with supplier quality programs, including sampling plans, supplier performance assessments, and non-conformance management.
- Experience maintaining and using supplier non-conformance databases and reporting tools.
- Proficiency with Zarpac, Historian, Power BI, or other advanced data reporting and visualization tools.
- Experience supporting operational excellence initiatives, such as pillars and Daily Direction Setting (DDS) processes.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, start-ups, and investigations simultaneously.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with R&D, Operations, Logistics, Purchasing, and corporate Quality teams.
- Comfort with presenting quality data and recommendations to management and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement in laboratory practices, data integrity, and quality system performance.
Work EnvironmentThis role operates within a manufacturing plant environment, overseeing Quality Assurance Soup Laboratories that include both a Chemistry Lab and a Microbiological Lab. The position involves frequent interaction with production areas, quality offices, and laboratory facilities, requiring adherence to food manufacturing hygiene, safety, and quality protocols. Work includes managing laboratory testing schedules, supervising technicians, and using systems such as MES, SAP, WMS, Rebus, Zarpac, Historian, and Power BI to monitor and report quality data. The environment is fast-paced and collaborative, with close coordination between Quality, Operations, Logistics, R&D, and Purchasing to support product start-ups, ongoing production, and timely product releases. The role may require flexibility in working hours to support production schedules, audits, product launches, and critical investigations in a plant-based, hands-on setting. Job Type & LocationThis is a Permanent position based out of Fayetteville, NC. Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $90400.00 - $124300.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job-related skills, and relevant education or training. Total pay may include other forms of compensation. In addition, we offer competitive health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. Job Type & LocationThis is a Permanent position based out of Fayetteville, NC. Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026. Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Fayetteville,NC.About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.
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