Quality Engineer

Who we are!

Schwan’s Company, a U.S. affiliate of the global lifestyle company, CJ CheilJedang Corporation, is a leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of quality foods offered through retail-grocery and food-service channels. Our many popular brands include Red Baron®, Tony’s®, Big Daddy’s®, Villa Prima™ and Freschetta® pizza; Mrs. Smith’s® and Edwards® desserts; and Pagoda® and Bibigo Asian-style snacks. Schwan’s is a place for people with an appetite for more. To learn about joining a team where you can belong, contribute, and thrive, visit www.schwanscompany.com

We are hiring a Quality Engineer at the largest pizza plant in the world and home to our famous Red Baron and Tony’s brand frozen pizzas, located in Salina, KS. This position is responsible for providing technical and applied expertise and leadership in the areas of food science, food regulations, statistics, problem solving, and continuous improvement projects to meet consumer and regulatory expectations. The incumbent has daily executional responsibilities, project management duties, and supervisory accountabilities to ensure proper food safety and product consistency.

What you will get from us:

• Opportunity to work on exciting, strategic projects in partnership with key leaders and showcase your creative, communication and technical skills.
• A culture focused on ensuring the health, safety and well-being of its employees.
• Support and mentorship from team members who are authentic, good-natured and highly skilled.
• Competitive wages, incentive pay and a comprehensive package of benefits

Responsibilities:

• Supervise testing procedures to ensure that analysis methods are accurately followed. Establish and maintain asystematic sampling of in- process and finished product using acceptable techniques. Assure daily monitoring of information and provide technical expertise in troubleshooting product quality and food safety issues. Keep records of all tests performed and provides management with copies of test records. Develop ability to utilize and master plant systems (e.g. InfinityQS, HACCP, etc.) to execute against this.
• Work with Production, Maintenance, Engineering, and PI&D to solve in- house quality issues; review non-conforming product and recommend disposition.
• Coordinate and facilitate training for all employees in the areas of HACCP, GMPs, food regulations, and quality system execution (e.g. InfinityQS, GMPs, etc.) to ensure execution and appropriate documentation of quality management systems.
• Monitor established programs for incoming raw ingredients in the areas of product rotation, sampling frequency, sample testing and reporting of data to management to assure conformance to specifications.
• Follow up with suppliers and/or buyers to ensure corrective action is taken and monitor programs to ensure compliance to finished good specifications.
• Supervise, train, and develop subordinates, as assigned.

Continuous Improvement Project Work:

• Identify areas of need to drive greatest improvement in food safety, quality, and product consistency for the facility providing positive impact to plant driven metrics. Able to utilize and critically evaluate data from a variety of sources to identify root cause and lead teams towards resolution.
• Partner with FSQ Manager and key stakeholders to maintain active work on prioritized list of projects focused on improving product quality, consistency, food safety & regulatory compliance, with regular updates on progress. Effectively leads projects to completion in timely manner with demonstrated results.
• Understand internal and external food safety & quality processes and report to facility leadership on quality issues, trends and opportunities with the purpose of driving continuous improvement.
• Apply continuous improvement tools (SPC, Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) in problem solving, data analysis, and implementation of process improvements to drive product consistency and reduce product defects (consumer complaints, foreign material, amount of held product, etc.) Design and implement methods for process control, process improvement, testing and inspection. Plan and conduct the analysis, inspection, design, test and/or integration of processes to assure the quality of ingredients, packaging, work in progress (WIP) or finished product.
• Actively lead and support continuous improvement activities and projects, deliver improved product consistency, and increase efficiency to impact the broader company and the FSQ team.
• Responsible to conduct yourself and ensure your subordinates (if applicable) conduct themselves in a manner consistent with company mission, values, code of ethics, policies, and other standards of conduct.

Qualifications:

• Education: bachelor’s degree in engineering, Food Science, or equivalent. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years related experience (Quality Engineering with Six Sigma Green Belt experience preferred).
• Sound mathematical and basic food science understanding.
• Good knowledge of statistics and statistical process control (SPC).
• Understanding of the manufacturing environment and basic production operation.
• Strong computer skills and ability to learn technical software.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of programs with strong Excel skills.
• The ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing with demonstrated influence management skills.
• Comfortable in small group and large group settings.
• Must be detail oriented, take initiative and able to work with a sense of urgency in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to solve problems ranging from basic to complex.
• Strong project management skills; Understanding of food safety, HACCP and basic food regulatory requirements; Proven people management and delegation skills; Ability to develop positive relationships and work cross functionally.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications associated with the job. An individual must be able to perform all of the duties and responsibilities listed in a fully competent manner to be considered successful in the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties and responsibilities.