Regulatory Food Technologist

MUST RESIDE WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE OF CARSON, CA.

You may not know the Bakkavor name, but you may know our food. At Bakkavor, we produce a highly innovative array of private label, short-shelf life, fresh prepared products for the top grocery retailers. We provide healthy, convenient and delicious options for people who don t believe in compromising even when life is hectic. Here in the US we are in a period of exponential growth across our five facilities, demand for our products is high and improvements to our infrastructure are vast. 2021 performance has been excellent with even bigger expectations for 2022.

Regulatory Technical Services Technologist

SUMMARY

This person is responsible for supporting Bakkavor s and Customer technical product information. Regulatory Guidelines (FDA/USDA) and Special Certifications (Kosher, Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, etc.). This position is part of Bakkavor USA Central Technical Department and reports directly to the Corporate Technical Services Manager.

Competencies

1. Technical Expertise (Quality, Food Safety and Regulatory)

2. Leadership (Vision, Organizational Savvy, Team Builder, Action-Results-Value Driven)

3. Customer Focus (Balanced Customer- Business/Science Oriented Decision-Making)

RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, but are not limited to:

I. Regulatory/Technical Expertise

Finished Product/Materials

• Works with R&D to ensure at the time of management feasibility and future updates of products meet a regulatory requirement.
• Evaluate supplier ingredient information to verify product compliance against customer standards, labeling law, and regulations.
• Develops accurate nutrition facts panels and ingredient statements utilizing ESHA Genesis software.
• Responsible for the developing finished product nutrition labels and technical information such as, but not limited to statement of identity, nutrition facts, ingredient statement, allergen compliance, and validation of legal claims.
• Interact with customers and designers to ensure that all label development meet FDA/USDA requirements and are accurately incorporated in the final artwork.
• Conducts annual label review of product specifications for accuracy and compliance with regulations and customer requirements.
• Updates and maintains customer database. Also, creates technical datasheet specs for customers that have no databases.
• Supports USDA label submission and approval along with the maintenance of historical files for product labels. Uses the USDA/FSIS Label Submission Approval System (LSAS)
• Created and managed all unit labels, bag labels, and master case labels in the appropriate software (Bartender, Excel, CLARiSOFT, and Cryovac Hot Stamp).
• Able to work effectively with other team members within the department and cross-functionally to achieve projects/tasks on time and within budget.

Quality and Food Safety Systems

• Updates and oversees the QA internal database. Works with the process team to collect analytical, CCP s, and QAS/line sheets.
• Supports Supplier and Materials approval process by retrieving and reviewing supplier records.
• Updates and maintains shelf life reference sheet, finished product reference sheet, and products quality testing log.

Leadership

• A Driver who Promotes Safety and teamwork across all departments.
• Actively participates and carry out effective meetings to support team and company objectives to assure delivery of project within budget and planned timelines.

II. Customer Focus

• Supports the resolution of customer feedback and identification of root causes and corrective/preventive actions as related to technical manners.
• Represent Bakkavor technical team in customer meetings and assure communication (written/verbal) between all parties professionally and assure proper confidentiality and conflict of interest.
• Maintain project lists and status up to date to assure delivery of goals within time and budget.
• Coordinates accurate technical information between parties to support input of information into customer s databases and development of internal materials such as, but not limited to, recipes, ingredient nutritional information, product/ingredients allergen profile, validation of product claims, product/ingredients specifications, serving size, boards /brochures.
• Participate in educational programs to do relevant trainings to keep abreast of the domestic and international regulations.
• Maintains all related customer information in a confidential and organized manner.
• Assures compliance to safety requirements when visiting suppliers and customers.

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• B.S. degree from a 4- year university In Food Science or related field is preferred.
• 5 plus years food industry or equivalent experience required
• Experience using Genesis ESHA Software
• HACCP Certification Preferred
• Seafood HACCP Certification Preferred
• FDA/USDA Regulatory Labeling Training Preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to work independently and with and around others. There is frequent verbal and face-to-face contact. The employee is frequently required to be available for extended hours. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.