Quality Control Technician

Job Title: Quality Control TechnicianJob Description

The Quality Control Technician monitors and verifies product and process quality across multiple production lines to ensure all materials meet established specifications and food safety standards. This role focuses on sampling, testing, documentation, and auditing activities that support regulatory compliance, certification requirements, and a strong food safety and quality culture within a growing manufacturing operation.

Responsibilities

• Review, monitor, document, and assess quality standards to verify that materials and finished products comply with specifications, including net weights, product quality, product codes and labels, temperatures, and critical control points (CCPs).
• Gather product samples from production lines to identify defective or non-conforming product and initiate appropriate corrective actions when necessary.
• Collect product samples aseptically from production lines for product testing, ensuring on-time sample pick-up to support timely product release.
• Audit the facility and personnel daily to verify adherence to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and best practices.
• Monitor production processes, personnel, and facilities to ensure compliance with cGMP, FSMA, HACCP, SQF, and sanitation guidelines, taking corrective action when standards are not met.
• Assist with employee training related to food safety and quality tasks and procedures.
• Perform pre-operational inspections of processing areas and equipment each day before operations begin to verify cleanliness and readiness.
• Conduct swabbing of equipment and surrounding environments to confirm cleanliness and sanitation effectiveness.
• Generate complete, accurate documentation of all monitoring activities and distribute reports in a timely manner.
• Perform scale and thermometer verifications and carry out calibrations of other equipment as required.
• Communicate with cross-functional departments to notify them of quality or food safety issues, support appropriate actions, and help resolve problems.
• Assist in investigations of non-conforming products and support root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Perform verification activities for food safety and quality (FS&Q) documentation to ensure records are accurate and complete.
• Maintain organization and inventory of on-site product samples and retains.
• Enter quality and production data into spreadsheets and other systems as required.
• Support food safety and quality initiatives, including data collection and analysis.
• Serve as backup in the laboratory when needed, including running samples and collecting samples.
• Assist with training operations personnel on food safety and quality-related topics.
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) as needed to support consistent and compliant processes.
• Assist with preparations for SQF audits, including documentation review and readiness activities.
• Provide backup support for other quality assurance (QA) personnel as needed.
• Help foster a strong food safety and quality culture across manufacturing operations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities focused on enhancing product quality, process efficiency, and compliance.
• Perform other assigned projects, tasks, and duties as appropriate to support the quality function.

Essential Skills

• Experience in quality control or quality assurance within a manufacturing environment, with a minimum of 6 months of previous quality experience preferred.
• Understanding of food safety principles, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Ability to work with and interpret food safety and quality frameworks such as FSMA, SQF, and sanitation guidelines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word for documentation, reporting, and data entry.
• Basic math skills for measurements, calculations, and verification activities.
• Basic computer skills for operating spreadsheets and quality-related software.
• Attention to detail when inspecting products, reviewing documentation, and monitoring processes.
• Ability to work in production, inspection, assembly, and laboratory environments as needed.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including proficient speaking, reading, and writing in English.
• Capability to follow cGMPs and best practices consistently and to identify and report deviations.
• Comfort with performing audits, inspections, and swabbing activities in a manufacturing setting.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent education is preferred.
• Previous quality experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred; other similar experience may be considered as a substitute.
• Experience in food manufacturing or pet food production is beneficial.
• Familiarity with calibration of scales, thermometers, and other measurement equipment.
• Experience supporting or preparing for third-party audits such as SQF.
• Ability to assist in developing SOPs and training materials for food safety and quality topics.
• Comfort working with raw materials and in environments with strong odors and wet conditions.
• Interest in contributing to continuous improvement and supporting a strong food safety and quality culture.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in operations, production, and quality.

Work Environment

This role is based in a growing manufacturing operation that is expanding into a large, consolidated facility, offering significant opportunities for future growth and advancement. Currently, production occurs across three facilities: a raw grinding building, a forming plant, and a freeze-drying plant. The Quality Control Technician will be trained primarily in the raw packaging (RPC) plant and may support activities across other buildings as needed. Shifts are typically 10 hours per day, 5 days per week, with rare weekend work, and the standard schedule for this position is approximately 3:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The forming plant is air-controlled and maintained at approximately 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the environment can be wet with distinct odors; candidates must be comfortable working in cooler temperatures, wet conditions, and areas with strong smells. The facility emphasizes adherence to cGMPs, food safety, and sanitation standards and uses laboratory, inspection, and production equipment such as scales, thermometers, and other calibrated instruments. As the operation transitions to a single, larger facility, team members will experience a dynamic environment with ongoing improvements, expanded production capacity, and opportunities to take on additional responsibilities and leadership as the plant grows.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Lincoln, NE.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $21.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Lincoln,NE.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 7, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.