Food Technologist

Job Purpose

• To ensure the safe, consistent and accurate production of quality food products, while maintaining compliance with company policies, food safety systems, quality standards, and health and safety requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Food Safety Team, ensuring food safety, quality, hygiene, housekeeping and security standards are consistently maintained.
• Maintain a regular factory presence to monitor hygiene, housekeeping, clean-as-you-go and 5S standards.
• Investigate and resolve microbiological, quality, supplier, shelf-life, and customer-related non-conformances. Ensure that corrective and preventative actions are implemented and followed up.
• Manage non-conforming products, communication with suppliers, follow-up on corrective actions, and ensure NCRs are completed.
• Liaise with customers regarding queries and complaints, ensuring timely resolution and closure of complaints.
• Conduct internal, supplier, GMP, PRP, food fraud, food defence and facility audits. Track findings and ensure close-out of non-conformances.
• Ensure the Food Safety and Quality Management System complies with FSSC 22000 and external audit requirements.
• Verify QC and GMP activities, product conformity, packaging checks, date coding, weight verification, glass inspections and temperature monitoring.
• Attend line opening and verify deep cleaning and fogging activities. Release production areas post-cleaning.
• Conduct microbiological and analytical laboratory testing on raw materials, finished products and packaging.
• Manage incoming materials inspection, sampling, COA verification, specification compliance. Place stock on hold where required.
• Compile and distribute QC reports, perform trend analysis, and maintain electronic systems for non-conformances, document control and verification records.
• Implement, review, risk assess and maintain HACCP plans and Food Safety & Quality Management System documentation.
• Manage and implement changes in line with FSSC 22000 change management.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable food safety regulations and standards.
• Implement and monitor allergen control programs.
• Conduct traceability, mock recall exercises, root cause analysis and problem solving.
• Conduct induction and food safety training for employees.
• Manage NPD site projects from trial phase through to system and documentation updates.
• Provide support to QC, customer complaint handling and general departmental activities as required.
• Assist with Ad Hoc duties within the departments as and when required.

Qualification Requirements

• Grade 12 (Essential)
• Tertiary qualification in Food Technology, Biotechnology or Consumer Science (Essential)

Experience Requirements

• Previous experience in a Production and Quality environment preferably Food Manufacturing (Essential)

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of FSSC 22000 or equivalent (Essential)
• Computer literacy (MS Office – Word/EXCEL/Outlook)
• Ability to participate in and conduct stock counts

Skills:

• Strong technical ability
• Attention to detail