The Quality Engineer is responsible for leading daily quality assurance activities on the production floor, ensuring consistent execution of food safety, GMP, and product quality standards. This role manages routine testing and verification activities and supports issue resolution to maintain compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.

The Quality Engineer reports to the quality manager and plays a hands-on role in maintaining audit readiness, ensuring product integrity, and reinforcing a culture of “Quality Always” throughout the facility.

This position is fully onsite at the Lotus Bakeries’ Mebane Plant and follows a 12‑hour, 2‑2‑3 shift schedule.

Quality Management System (QMS) Support

• Support the Quality Manager in maintaining and continuously improving the site Quality Management System.
• Ensure that procedures, forms, and work instructions are current, controlled, and properly implemented on the production floor.
• Assist in document reviews, updates, and change control processes.
• Verify that quality records are complete, accurate, and compliant with regulatory and audit requirements.
• Help identify gaps or improvement opportunities within QMS programs, contributing to corrective and preventive actions.

Daily Quality Operations

• Supervise daily quality assurance activities across fabrication, packaging, and sanitation operations.
• Provide real‑time leadership on the plant floor to ensure adherence to GMPs, hygiene practices, and food safety standards, supporting production supervisors

• Monitor process controls, CCPs, and CPs; escalate deviations promptly and support timely resolution.
• Deliver GMP, hygiene, and product quality training to operators and new employees.

Testing, Inspection, and Verification

• Oversee in-process checks, finished product testing, and environmental monitoring.
• Ensure testing procedures, sampling plans, and documentation meet regulatory, customer, and internal standards.
• Troubleshoot quality or analytical issues and escalate technical matters.

GMP, Food Safety, and Compliance

• Conduct routine GMP, sanitation, and process audits to verify compliance with company policies and certification requirements.
• Support execution of food safety & regulatory compliance programs at the room-by-room, line-by-line level.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Nonconformance and Issue Management

• Lead initial investigations for nonconformances, process deviations, or quality defects.
• Perform data collection, assist with root cause analysis, and support CAPA actions.
• Communicate quality concerns clearly to production teams and help drive corrective actions.

Cross-Functional Support

• Partner closely with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Engineering, and Supply Chain to address quality issues and support continuous improvement.
• Serve as the on-shift quality resource for operational troubleshooting and decision-making.

Education (degree): Bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, chemistry, biology, or engineering preferred

Specific knowledge:

• HACCP (certification desired)
• SQF or BRC
• FSMA/FDA requirements
• Global Food Safety Initiative requirements
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Regulatory audits (FDA, BRC, third-party)
• Root cause analysis
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) strongly desired

Experience:

• 0-2 years of experience (food industry or related environment)
• Familiarity with packaging lines, bakery processing equipment, and sanitation processes
• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures and corrective action plans (CAPAs)
• Experience with International Featured Standards is a plus
• Data analysis and quality metrics
• Quality Management Systems

Language:

• English (verbal and written, required)
• Spanish (conversational preferred but not required)

Personal competences:

• Have continuous improvement mentality
• Be highly quality-oriented
• Be able to concentrate on details for an extended period of time 
• Demonstrate Team Spirit, Open Dialogue, Passion