Quality & Food Safety Technologist

Job Description:

This role is a key member of the local R&D/Q&FS plant-based team directly supporting the manufacturing site. The technologist operates daily in ahighly cross-functional environment partnering with Supply Operations Engineering Maintenance Logistics and Sanitation teams to ensure standard alignment.

To be effective this role requires a strong degree ofpeer-leadership and technical courage. The associate must be comfortable asserting authority to halt production lines reject raw materials or place finished goods on hold without direct reporting authority. Furthermore the position acts as adirect communication link between site operations and regional R&D stakeholders helping to translate complex corporate policies into simple repeatable operating procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Standards & Regulatory Alignment:Ensure all site processes and procedures strictly comply with corporate Mars Quality and Food Safety Standards Business Unit directives and regulatory agency regulations.
• HACCP & Risk Management:Serve as a core Food Safety Representative for the site HACCP Team and Food Safety Team leading and supporting risk assessments for all facility changes (CAB new products/packaging/processes) and validating Critical Control Points (CCPs).
• Incident & Hold Management:Manage the site product hold-and-release programs withinSAP NCMGT and Nexus. Ensuring proper isolation disposition and destruction of non-conforming materials and products.
• Audit & CAPA Leadership:Supports site internal audits and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) programs to drive continuous system improvements.
• Incident Response & RCA:Serve as a PRIMP (Product Related Incident Management Process) owner leading structured root-cause analysis (RCA) sessions and recommending corrective actions.
• Continuous Improvement:Works to identify defects and trends in site processes. Develop and/or lead improvement projects in alignment with the Site Q&FS Manager.
• Capability & Training:Develop and deliver interactive food safety and GMP training modules to build technical capability and a strong quality culture among site associates.
• Finished Product Release:Execute the final release of finished products ensuring all quality and food safety specifications have been met.
• Other Duties: assigned by the Site Quality and Food Safety Manager

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Required:Bachelors degree in food science Microbiology Chemistry Chemical Engineering or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Preferred:ActiveHACCP HARPC or PCQI(Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification.
• Preferred:FSSC 22000 internal auditor certification

Knowledge / Experience

• Experience:2 yearsin a food or related manufacturing facility with hands-on experience inHACCP food safety management systems and internal auditing.
• Technical Skills:Strong ability to leadRoot Cause Analysis (RCA) and write clear audit-ready technical procedures.
• Systems:High proficiency in Microsoft Office; direct experience withSAP is highly preferred.
• Interpersonal & Courage:Strong technical courage to confidently halt production or hold inventory alongside excellent communication skills to coach floor operators.
• Physical & Environmental:Ability tostand and walk the manufacturing floorfor prolonged periods of time working safely around high-speed machinery in hot dusty or noisy plant environments.

Key Mars Leadership Competencies (4-6)

Action Oriented:

• Take swift decisive action with a high sense of urgency when out-of-specification (OOS) data or process deviations are identified.
• Enthusiastically tackles daily quality challenges on the production floor proactively working to resolve minor compliance issues before they escalate.

Collaborates:

• Build strong trusting partnerships with floor associates warehouse teams and sanitation associates to meet shared site safety and quality goals.
• Works cooperatively within the local Q&FS team sharing insights and assisting peers to maintain complete site coverage.

Customer Focus:

• Treats plant production lines and warehouse logistics as key internal customers providing them with rapid accurate hold-and-release decisions and technical feedback.
• Maintains a strong focus on the end-consumer by ensuring every product released meets Mars pet food quality and safety standards.

Instills Trust:

• Gains the confidence and trust of the team by demonstrating absolute honesty transparency and consistency in recording compliance data and executing food safety checks.
• Stands firm on quality and food safety standards representing data accurately and truthfully even under pressure from production deadlines.

Key Functional Competencies & Technical Skills (3-5)

Practices Excellence in Quality:

• Risk & Opportunity Management Competently identifies and mitigates food safety risks through robust change management and process monitoring.

• Product Quality Custodian Authoritatively guards finished product quality consumer safety and brand equity.

• Continuous Improvement Uses trend analysis to drive systemic site-level improvements.

Technical Writing & QMS Control(Preferred) Drafts clear legally robust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that stand up to regulatory audits.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below however base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge skills and total compensation package for this position will include variable pay medical and dental benefits participation in 401k plan and paid time off of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.