Description
Perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to verify the safety, quality, and regulatory compliance of food and beverage products. Partner with QA/QC and production teams to monitor critical control points, packaging, and processing, maintain documentation, and drive timely corrective actions.
- • Conduct standardized tests on raw materials, in-process, and finished products to verify color, texture, nutrients, pH, and other specifications.
- • Collect, label, and manage samples using approved sampling plans and chain-of-custody procedures.
- • Compute moisture, salt, pH, Brix, water activity, and other compositional factors using approved methods.
- • Record and compile results in LIMS or spreadsheets; prepare COAs, graphs, and reports.
- • Analyze results against specifications and standards; classify lots and release or place on hold.
- • Perform sensory evaluations (taste and smell) to verify flavor profiles and detect off-notes.
- • Examine samples microscopically to detect bacteria, foreign material, or cell structures.
- • Prepare media, reagents, buffers, and dilutions; mix, blend, or culture as needed for QC tests.
- • Measure and test packaging and containers for fill weight, seal integrity, seams/torque, hardness, strength, and dimensions.
- • Monitor and document temperatures and other critical control points during processing, storage, and transport.
- • Maintain complete, auditable QC records to meet company policies and regulatory and customer requirements.
- • Inspect, calibrate, clean, and sanitize laboratory instruments and verification devices per SOPs.
- • Maintain laboratory and retain-sample inventories; order supplies to prevent stockouts.
- • Train newly hired QC technicians or production operators on test methods, GMPs, and SOPs.
- • Investigate nonconformances, communicate deviations, and support CAPA and root-cause analysis.
- • Perform environmental and sanitation verification (e.g., ATP/allergen swabbing) and incubate plates or slides as required.
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Agriculture
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
