Quality Associate

SUMMARY

saturn petcare, inc. operates a state‑of‑the‑art pet food manufacturing facility. The Quality Control Associate – Raw Materials plays a critical role in preventing raw‑material‑driven quality and food safety issues through rigorous testing, incoming material verification, and proactive supplier management. This role is responsible for identifying raw material nonconformances, ensuring timely containment, driving supplier root cause investigations, and enforcing effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

The position partners closely with Procurement, R&D, and Operations to ensure all inbound materials consistently meet SPI's specifications, and that suppliers are held fully accountable for issues, recurrence prevention, and continuous improvement in material quality.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Includes the following; other duties may be assigned.

Supplier Quality, Root Cause, and CAPA Accountability

• Leads and documents supplier nonconformance investigations, ensuring structured root cause analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone, etc.) is completed.
• Holds suppliers accountable for timely and effective corrective and preventive actions, with verification of implementation and evidence of recurrence prevention.
• Maintains accurate and organized records of supplier quality issues, trends, and CAPA performance.
• Provides clear feedback to suppliers on failures, expectations, and improvement responsibilities.
• Supports supplier qualification and ongoing performance monitoring, with a focus on preventing raw‑material‑driven disruptions.

Raw Material Testing & Verification

• Performs comprehensive raw material sampling and testing to ensure compliance with quality and food safety specifications.
• Identifies and escalates raw‑material‑related issues rapidly to prevent production impact.
• Supports updates to raw material specifications, test methods, and acceptance criteria.

Quality Systems & Production Support

• Manages incoming material NCMRs and communicates material disposition decisions (hold, release, rework, reject).
• Supports raw‑material‑related food safety and risk assessments.
• Develops and updates SOPs, Work Instructions, and documentation related to raw material inspection and testing.
• Trains QC and Operations teams on raw material specifications, testing procedures, and supplier‑driven changes.
• Provides support to production for raw‑material‑related deviations and helps drive corrective actions to closure.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and Experience

• 5–10 years of experience in manufacturing; food or pet food experience preferred.
• BS degree in Food Science, Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Meat Science, Industrial Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Strong experience in raw material testing, supplier quality, and RCA/CAPA management strongly desired.
• Ability to conduct internal and supplier‑related quality and food safety audits.
• Preferred training: HACCP, PCQI, SQF, Allergen Control, Food Recall, Root Cause Analysis, Auditing

Computer Skills

Proficiency with MS Office, SAP (QM module preferred), Minitab, and document management systems (DMS).

Language Skills

Ability to interpret and communicate technical specifications, testing requirements, and supplier expectations. Ability to write clear reports and present investigation findings. German language skills are an advantage.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and ability to apply concepts such as: fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands:

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 the job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is required to stand, walk, sit, and talk and hear. The employee must regularly lift and / or move up to 15 pounds, frequently lift and / or move up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift and / or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Allergen Awareness

Products produced in this facility may contain the following allergens: Egg, Shellfish, Fish, Gluten.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Job descriptions are not intended to create a contract, nor are they to be construed to constitute contractual obligations of any kind or a contract of employment between Saturn Petcare Inc. and any of its employees. The provisions of job descriptions have been developed at the discretion of management and may be amended or cancelled at any time by Saturn Petcare Inc. with or without notice.

Employment with Saturn Petcare Inc. is voluntarily entered into, and the employee is free to resign at will at any time, with or without cause. Similarly, Saturn Petcare Inc. may terminate the employment relationship at will at any time, with or without notice or cause, so long as there is not violation of applicable federal or state law.