Hampton Farms is the leading In-Shell Peanut Company in the US. We are also a leading producer of other types of nuts and nut butters for the retail and commercial markets. You can find our product in most grocery stores and major league baseball stadiums. We distribute under the Hampton Farms brand and are also a leading private-label manufacturer.
Job Purpose
The Quality Technician supports Hampton Farms Garysburg by helping ensure products, processes, packaging, and facility practices meet established food safety, quality, customer, and company requirements. This position performs routine inspections, product and packaging checks, documentation review, sampling, verification activities, and quality monitoring throughout production, warehousing, and shipping operations. The Quality Tech works closely with Production, Warehouse, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Garysburg Leadership to identify concerns early, document findings accurately, and support timely corrective action while maintaining a strong food-safety culture.
Essential Functions
Quality Techs are expected to perform the responsibilities below based on daily operational needs and direction from Quality and Garysburg Leadership.
- Work scheduled shifts and remain flexible based on operational needs, including overtime, weekends, or holidays when required.
- Perform routine in-process and finished-product quality inspections to verify product, packaging, labeling, coding, weights, appearance, and other established specifications.
- Conduct required sampling, checks, and verification activities according to approved procedures, specifications, quality plans, and production requirements.
- Review labels, packaging components, lot codes, date codes, product identification, and other information for accuracy before and during production runs.
- Accurately complete quality records, inspection forms, checklists, logs, and electronic documentation in a timely and legible manner.
- Identify and promptly communicate product, packaging, sanitation, food-safety, or process concerns to Quality and operational leadership.
- Assist with placing potentially nonconforming product or materials on hold and maintaining clear identification and segregation as directed by Quality leadership.
- Support pre-operational inspections, line-startup checks, changeover verification, and other quality activities required to support safe and compliant production.
Quality & Food Safety Responsibilities
- Monitor employee and operational compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), personal hygiene, PPE, allergen controls, and food-safety requirements.
- Perform routine facility and process observations to identify conditions that could affect product safety, quality, legality, or customer requirements.
- Verify sanitation conditions and document findings; immediately escalate unacceptable conditions or recurring concerns to the appropriate leadership.
- Follow approved procedures for handling samples, retained samples, nonconforming materials, and quality records.
- Support traceability activities by verifying lot information, product identification, production records, and inventory information as assigned.
- Assist Quality leadership with investigations involving product defects, customer complaints, damaged product, labeling concerns, or process deviations.
- Help verify that corrective actions are completed and documented when deficiencies are identified.
- Support internal inspections, customer or regulatory visits, audits, and other quality-system activities as assigned.
- Maintain organized quality work areas, files, supplies, sampling materials, and testing equipment used in daily quality activities.
- Use quality instruments and basic testing equipment only after required training; maintain equipment in clean, serviceable condition and report calibration or performance concerns.
- Communicate quality expectations professionally and consistently while working with Production, Warehouse, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and other departments.
- Maintain confidentiality and accuracy when handling quality records, product information, customer requirements, and investigation details.
- Stop and immediately escalate work when an observed condition presents a potential food-safety, product-quality, or regulatory concern in accordance with company procedures.
- Follow all company safety procedures, food-safety programs, allergen controls, sanitation requirements, and applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Participate in training, continuous-improvement activities, root-cause discussions, and corrective/preventive action efforts as assigned.
- Maintain a professional sense of urgency and attention to detail while balancing multiple quality priorities across the facility.
- Perform other duties as assigned by Quality or Garysburg Management.
Qualification Requirements
- Flexibility to work varying shifts, including evenings and weekends as needed, with willingness to work overtime when required.
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform assigned quality duties safely, accurately, and satisfactorily.
- Detail-oriented, dependable, objective, and able to communicate quality concerns professionally.
- Ability to learn and consistently apply food-safety, quality, sanitation, allergen, and documentation requirements.
- Reliable attendance and punctuality.
- Ability to follow written procedures, specifications, safety rules, quality standards, and management direction.
- Abide by the company’s core values, policies, and mission statement.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma or equivalent is preferred.
- Previous quality, food manufacturing, production, laboratory, inspection, sanitation, or related experience is preferred but not required.
- Ability to read, write, and interpret specifications, labels, production records, quality documents, and safety instructions.
- Ability to perform basic math and accurately record measurements, counts, weights, and other quality data.
- Good verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multiple departments.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Basic understanding of food safety, GMPs, quality inspection practices, sanitation, allergen awareness, and product traceability; training will be provided as required.
- Strong organizational, documentation, and time-management skills.
- Ability to use basic quality inspection tools, scales, thermometers, computers, and other approved equipment after required training.
- Ability to learn company systems and accurately enter, review, and maintain quality-related information.
- Ability to recognize product, packaging, process, sanitation, and food-safety concerns and escalate them promptly.
- Ability to remain professional and objective when communicating requirements or addressing nonconforming conditions.
- Commitment to product quality, food safety, continuous improvement, and maintaining accurate records.
Physical Demands
- Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Must be able to push, pull, stoop, bend, reach, climb steps or approved ladders, walk, and stand on hard surfaces for extended periods.
- Must be able to move throughout production, warehouse, storage, and shipping areas to perform inspections and verification activities.
- Must have sufficient manual dexterity and visual attention to perform inspections, handle samples, use testing equipment, and complete documentation.
Work Environment
- The primary work environment is a food manufacturing, production, warehouse, and quality setting where temperatures may vary from hot to cold based on seasonal and operational conditions. Employees may be exposed to moderate-to-high noise levels, humidity, dust, and other typical facility conditions.
- This facility processes peanuts. Employees must be able to safely and effectively perform work in this environment while adhering to all safety policies, Good Manufacturing Practices, allergen controls, and food-safety standards. Exposure to airborne and contact allergens is unavoidable.
- Ability to work around production equipment, forklifts, pallet jacks, trucks, trailers, cleaning supplies, approved chemicals, and other normal food-manufacturing operations.
- Wear all required PPE and follow designated food-safety, sanitation, pedestrian, and equipment-safety rules.
Benefits:
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
- 401K Matching
- Paid Vacation
- Personal Days
- Paid Holidays
- Bereavement Leave
- Military Leave
- Jury Duty Leave
EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer
For Additional Information Visit: www.hamptonfarms.com