Quality Assurance (QA) Technician at PURIS in Randolph, MN

Summary: PURIS transforms USA-made pea ingredients and non-GMO soybeans into plant-based food ingredients that support a healthier and more sustainable food system. The Quality Assurance Technician ensures product safety and quality by maintaining FSQR, SQF, HACCP, GMP, and food safety systems, evaluating laboratory results, managing product releases and certificates of analysis, and supporting audits, incident investigations, documentation, and continuous improvement. The role also collaborates across teams and assists with customer samples for business development.

Responsibilities:
- SQF Practitioner: Oversee the implementation, review and maintenance of the SQF QMS to meet GFSI standards. Maintain document control, including overseeing the updates and execution to all quality control and food safety policies and procedures (HACCP, GMP, Sanitation, Pest Control) and assistance in the evaluation of current and proposed system procedures. Assist with compliance objectives and ensure that targets are achieved
- PCQI Expectation: Maintain working knowledge about the Food Safety Plan. Ensure all preventive controls are validated and verified, with documented evidence demonstrating their effectiveness and ongoing performance. Review and assess monitoring and verification records to ensure 100% compliance, timely review and proper disposition of any deviations. Maintain audit-ready records that meet FSMA requirements for accuracy, completeness, and traceability. Support reanalysis of the Food Safety Plan at least annually or when significant changes occur (process, product, or hazard)
- Test Evaluation and Coordination: Review, support and verify the Laboratory Information System (LIMS) by conducting and evaluating test results against acceptance criteria. Maintain comprehensive logs and/or electronic files of all test outcomes. Responsible for the FOSS and testing equipment to ensure accuracy in testing outcomes
- Product Release Management: Verify product compliance to FSQR standards and coordinate the release of product within published product release timelines
- COA Generation: Generate certificates of analysis for finished products, aligning with customer requirements and FSQR standards
- FSQR Process Optimization: Identify and suggest improvements and implement improvement direct FSQR Team supported by procedures and systems
- Incident Management: Investigate FSQR incidents and support root cause. Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for all preventive control failures or out-of-spec results, ensuring 100% documentation, escalation, and closure within defined timelines
- Compliance and Inspections: Conduct internal audits of QMS for FSQR, SQF/GFSI, Organic and customer compliance using quality approval criteria. Perform site inspections as necessary, communicate findings and support process optimization development around any nonconformities
- Documentation and Records Maintenance: Prioritize customer specification requests, support questionnaire completion and documentation requests. Organize and maintain essential documents and records, including keeping current records of Quality Document statements, supplier & customer questionnaires and supplier quality information
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Influence and demonstrate ownership and accountability for the FSQR System and processes. Act as a self-starter who proactively identifies gaps, lead by example that drives continuous improvement implementing sustainable solutions. Champion food safety culture by ensuring standards are not only met, but continuously strengthened. Engage with quality, engineering, operations, sales and warehouse teams to address quality concerns, and drive FSQR process optimization across all product lines
- Food Safety Team Development: Be an active member of the Food Safety Team and gain knowledge around critical Food Safety Systems
- Supporting PURIS’ marketing & business development: Quality Assurance Technicianwill support the sales and operations team by assisting with customer samples. Executing the preparation of samples aimed at closing new business development leads as well as current customers for the purpose of achieving variety approvals

Required Qualifications:
- Proficient in Microsoft Office platforms (Excel, Word, Loop, Sharepoint, etc. )
- PCQI Certified or obtainable in about 6 months
- HACCP Certified or obtained in 6 months of hire
- SQF Practitioner or obtained in 6 months of hire

Preferred Qualifications:
- 1-2 years of experience in related field is desirable

Required Skills: Microsoft Office, PCQI Certification, HACCP Certification, SQF Practitioner Certification, Food Safety Plan Management, FSMA Compliance, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Food Safety and Quality Risk (FSQR) Management, Root Cause Analysis, Internal Quality Auditing

Benefits: Bonus eligible, Medical insurance plans starting as low as $31 per paycheck, starting the first of the month after your hire date, Dental coverage, Vision coverage, Free digital health care for all employees, Life insurance covered at 100%, Short-Term Disability insurance covered at 100%, Flexible health and dependent care spending accounts, 401(k) plan with a company contribution of 3.5% when you contribute up to 6% toward your retirement plan, 80 hours of PTO accrued annually, 8 paid holidays, A variety of other free resources, Career development and opportunities for professional development and growth within the company, On-demand pay, Telehealth services, State-of-the-art engineering and cutting-edge technology