SQF Practitioner

We are looking for an experienced SQF Practitioner to support food safety and quality initiatives for a contract-to-permanent opportunity in Compton, California. This position will lead the ongoing administration of the Safe Quality Food program, strengthen compliance practices, and help ensure packaging operations meet regulatory and customer expectations. The ideal candidate brings strong quality assurance knowledge, hands-on experience with SQF systems, and the ability to work across teams to maintain audit readiness and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development, maintenance, and day-to-day execution of the food safety management system to support compliance and operational effectiveness.
• Provide senior leadership with routine updates on program performance, resource needs, and areas requiring attention or improvement.
• Guide the Food Safety Team by clarifying responsibilities, assigning priorities, and confirming members are properly trained for their roles.
• Design and deliver instruction on SQF standards, food safety practices, and current good manufacturing practices for employees and team members.
• Coordinate internal audit activities, track findings through resolution, and verify corrective and preventive actions are completed in a timely manner.
• Maintain controlled food safety documentation and records so materials remain current, accurate, and prepared for customer or regulatory review.
• Serve as a key contact for outside parties on food safety matters, including auditors, regulatory agencies, and testing partners.
• Manage product and material sampling activities, document test outcomes, and communicate significant results to leadership.
• Oversee recall readiness, crisis response testing, and mock traceability exercises while documenting outcomes and follow-up actions.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve plant and product safety, conduct routine cGMP inspections, and report findings to the Food Safety Team.
• 3+ years of experience in quality assurance, food safety, or a related compliance-focused role.
• Completion of formal SQF training and demonstrated ability to apply SQF principles in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of SQF-based risk assessment and food safety plan management.
• Understanding of the SQF Food Safety Code for Manufacture of Food Packaging, including Food Sector Category 27.
• Familiarity with Edition 9.0 of the SQF Food Safety Code for food packaging manufacturing.
• Experience managing audits, controlled documentation, and corrective action processes.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to train teams and present updates to senior management.
• Background in quality control and cGMP compliance within a regulated production setting.