Quality Lab Technician M-F 8 hours, 2nd Shift - Starting at $23.81/hr

You know our brands, The Laughing Cow, Babybel, Boursin, Kaukauna, Merkts and Price's, which elicit smiles across America. They are daring, responsible and deliver dairy goodness. As you imagine, this mindset is contagious! Bel Brands USA is part of an international family company, which has led an ambitious growth strategy for 150 years and is today the world's third largest branded cheese company. If like our 12,000 employees globally, you want to have an impact in an entrepreneurial and demanding company, and share smiles around the world, dare to live the Bel experience!

Be you. Be ambitious. Be Bel.

Bel Brands USA has been named Chicago's "101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" for 10 years in a row. The company is headquartered in Chicago and operates three manufacturing plants in Little Chute, WI, Leitchfield, KY, and Brookings, SD.

Bel is seeking enthusiastic, accountable people to join our manufacturing team in Little Chute, WI.  At Bel, Safety is our number one priority.  All team members act as safety leaders in all responsibilities.  Team members support our operations by engaging in teamwork and continuously improving our business. 

This is an hourly position represented by Teamsters Local Union 662. Standard operating hours are Monday through Friday, 1st shift 6am – 3pm, 2nd shift 2pm – 11pm, 3rd shift 10pm – 6am (dependent on department). Shift times are subject to change. Overtime may be required (Saturdays) with regular Sunday overtime for Sanitation department.

Job Description Summary

Under the direction of the Quality Assurance Supervisor, this position will support both quality and lab processes.  The responsibilities for this job will be varied and will include product quality inspection and development support.

This person will support laboratory technicians, perform basic analytical, microbiological and organoleptic (tasting) quality control tests, summarize and report the results of these tests, prepare reagents, materials and equipment for analytical purposes, collect samples and other technical functions as identified and assigned.

Additional responsibility for sales samples, applying labels, preparing individual sales sample orders, packing sample orders, maintaining the inventory in the sample area, obtaining additional samples when necessary and working with the Phase I Warehouse in matters regarding the sample area.  This is on as needed basis and could be short term or long-term activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• General Duties
  • Consistently follows all standard operating procedures, including ensuring appropriate equipment settings, reporting and general corrective actions to resolve operational issues.
  • Responsible for successfully meeting established KPI’s.
  • Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities. Uses effective approaches for choosing course of action and/or development of solutions.
  • Knows how and when to apply technical skills or procedures and performs complex tasks in area of expertise.
  • Perform daily checks and verifications of the following: weights, scales, codes, labels, case print, allergens, metal detectors, finished products, and sanitizing chemicals.
  • Support research and development functions, including shipping samples, raw materials, sampling, inspections and documentation.
  • Sample collection from production lines, preparation and testing.
  • Inspection of products for packaging integrity and code information.
  • Test Result review, analysis and record keeping.
  • Organoleptic analysis (tasting) of product “in process".
  • Calibration of instruments and equipment including, but not limited to, pH meters, thermometers, temperature recording devices throughout the facility.
  • Participation in "round robin" testing of analytical and microbiological skills within department and with outside agencies.
  • Reagent preparation and media preparation.
  • Generate hold reports and responsible for daily data entry into Quartz and SAP.
  • Follow developed techniques for the sterile sampling of products.    
  • Develop an understanding of how to interpret raw materials manufacturing codes is responsible for maintaining the warehouse in an orderly manner.
  • Monitor products in warehouse for shelf life, proper coding, and flavor. Maintain proper rotation in cooler and monitor and record cooler temperatures.
  • All other duties as assigned.

• Safety, Environmental and Quality
  • Follows all safety rules and procedures by working safely and ensuring safety of others.
  • Follows all environmental protocols as applicable to the job.
  • Follows all Good Manufacturing Practices as stated within the policy.
  • Follow all food safety procedures.
  • Maintains a sanitary and safe work area; performs housekeeping duties as necessary and/or required.
  • Detects potentially hazardous conditions and problems and takes appropriate action to report and/or correct.

Knowledge and Experience Requirements

• 6 months of lab or quality experience is preferred.
• Minimum of high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• Data entry skills.
• Knowledge of SAP system is preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both written and verbal in English.
• Demonstrated computer knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office and Microbiology Lab System database.
• Demonstrated basic math skills is required, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, and exponents.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot equipment and manufacturing problems.

Competencies and Abilities

• Ability to communicate and develop good working relationships with team members.
• Must be able to accurately and efficiently perform all job duties with a sense of urgency.
• Exhibit Bel’s core values of:
  • CARE - Care is about developing others through a “high challenge / high support” approach. It’s about empowerment, encouraging those who take measured risks. It’s also about being able to manage tough discussions for the sake of others and for the sake of the organization.
  • DARE - Dare is about challenging our orthodoxies and challenging a “good enough” mindset, which begins with identifying imperfection and then taking measured risks. It’s also about learning from failures and ensuring the right level of feedback to foster continuous improvement.
  • COMMIT - Commit is about our ability to execute and our results orientation. It starts with committing to deliver ambitious results, making decisions according to our customers and committing to those decisions through unconditional collaboration.

Physical requirements (Amount of time in an 8 hour day)

• Standing/walking 20-50 minutes per hour.

Stand/Walk

☐ None ☐ 1-4 Hours ☐ 4-6 Hours ☒ 6 or more

Sit

☐ None ☒ 1-4 Hours ☐ 4-6 Hours ☐ 6 or more

Drive Forklift – Prime Mover

☐ None ☒ 1-3 Hours ☐ 3-5 Hours ☐ 5 or more

Repetitive Hand Motion

☒Simple Grasping: 10%

☒Fine Manipulation: 5%

☒Pushing and Pulling: 10%

Environmental Conditions

☒ Hot Temperature ☒ Cold Temperature ☒ Wet ☒ Dusty ☒ Noisy

NOTE: Employee may be in a warehouse at cold temperatures between 32 to 44 degrees for extended periods of time.

Lifting Requirement

☐ Sedentary Work

Lifting 10 pounds maximum and occasionally lifting and/or carrying articles as dockets, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

☐ Light Work

Lifting 20 pounds maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job is in this category when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree or when it involves sitting most of the time with a degree of pushing and pulling of arm and/ or leg controls.

☒ Medium Work

Lifting of 50 pounds maximum with the frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

☐ Very Heavy Work

Lifting objects 100 pounds with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing 50 pounds or more. Team lift is required for objects weighing over 50 pounds.

Protective Equipment: Employees must wear personal protective equipment as required by position. 

Acknowledgement:  This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employee assigned to this position.  It does not state or imply that these are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to the job.  The employee may be required to perform other job-related duties as requested by management. All requirements are subject to change over time and to possible modifications to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

Bel Brands is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Bel Brands also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also Bel Brand’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

Bel Brands is committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities and veterans. If you need an accommodation or assistance in using the website, please call 312-462-1500.

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