Micro Lab Technician - Michael Foods Inc.

Michael Foods, Inc. is a leader in the food processing and distribution industry with business in egg products, refrigerated grocery and potato products. We offer exciting job possibilities throughout our organization where you can enhance your career, sharpen your talents and make an impact. Join our company and be part of an innovative team that’s First in Food.

Michael Foods, Inc. located in the Village of West Jefferson, OH, is located just minutes from the western suburbs of Columbus and about 20 minutes to the west of downtown. We are proud to be Michael Foods’ most recent greenfield project, producing high quality protein shakes serving people all around the world. It’s our honor to continue our strong commitment to our employees, our community, and our environment.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position in responsible for all microbiological sampling, analysis and reporting for the end to end quality.

Actives:

• Assumes personal responsibility to insure a safe and healthy workplace for everyone. Adheres to all safety policies/procedures and incorporates safety and health in all job’s duties/tasks.
• Adheres to safe work practices, follows GMP’s, maintains sanitary conditions and ensures that product quality is maintained. Reports any conditions or practices that may adversely affect employee safety or food safety/quality to management immediately.
• Attends and actively participates in safety meetings/trainings.
• Ensures regulatory compliance at all times.
• Perform periodic in process quality checks: physical and chemical lab testing, coding, weight, packaging integrity, labeling, temperature, sensory, document review etc. to verify compliance with costumer and MFI’s specifications and all others associated regulations for all products.
• Inspect and sample incoming ingredients to summit for internal lab testing as required.
• Assist in drafting, revision, and maintenance of plant standard operating procedures.
• Act as a liaison between Production, Distribution, Sanitation, Maintenance, and the Quality Department.
• Participate in plant food safety/quality inspections, in-process inspections, mock recall, label audits, HACCP audits.
• Verify proper set-up of production lines at start-up and shift change: Printer set-up (coding), packaging materials, labeling, quality limits, etc.
• Review sanitary condition of production lines prior to start-up by verifying fillers sterilization limits, performing ATP (adenosine triphosphate / verify surface cleanliness) and environmental swab, and follow up sanitation procedures after downtime requiring maintenance activity.
• Communicate quality issues with Production and Quality Management and assist in root cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions where appropriate.
• Perform investigative environmental swabbing of critical production equipment/areas as a troubleshooting guide.
• Assist in investigations in response to customer concerns or other quality related deviations to determine root cause and appropriate corrective actions.
• Assist in the management of quality hold activities, including non-conforming product inventories.
• Ensure lab equipment, fridges and thermometer etc. are properly maintained and calibrated.
• Maintain and follow MFI micro sample and shelf-life study programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• High School Diploma or GED.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• One year certificate from college or technical school or equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Experience working in a laboratory environment.
• Problem solving/ continuous improvement skills is a plus

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Attention to detail: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to interpret data.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

• Skill in working with computers and experience with spreadsheet and word-processing software.