What are the responsibilities and job description for the Food Safety Specialist position at Ocean Mist Farms?
The Food Safety Specialist is responsible for supporting the development, administration, and verification of the company’s internal food safety program for the operations in Coachella, Yuma, and Oxnard. The specialist will assist the Food Safety Supervisor from Harvest business unit in training, mentoring, and developing the harvest crews and sanitation staff, providing employee feedback, and ensuring compliance with all relevant food safety standards and practices.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Assist in ensuring regulatory compliance and enforcing food safety policies for our operations.
- Support the Food Safety Supervisor as the local point of contact for audits and regulatory compliance efforts.
- Participate in Primus third-party audits, risk assessments, and supplier inspections.
- Assist in implementing third-party auditing processes and conducting in-house inspections of farms.
- Conduct routine inspections to ensure regulations and policies are being met.
- Promote company programs by educating contractors and employees on trends and changes affecting food safety and quality standards.
- Facilitate training programs to employees to ensure compliance and communicate any policy changes.
- Prepare documentation submissions to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Support adherence to current FSMA food safety standards as minimum standards for harvest operations.
- Assist in developing Harvest Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs & SSOPs) according to GAP, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
- Support the sanitation team.
- Work with various types of harvest equipment.
- Identify compliance issues and suggest solutions.
- Assist in addressing and resolving customer and consumer complaints effectively.
- Other duties as assigned.
Job Requirements and Qualifications
- Experience in food science or biological/physical sciences is required.
- 2 years of experience in food safety/quality assurance in a food/vegetable production is preferred.
- Knowledge of GAP, GMP’s, HACCP, LGMA and USDA/FDA guidelines as they relate to our operations.
- Familiarity with product trace-back/recall policies and procedures are preferred.
- Good math, written and verbal communication skills is required.
- Working knowledge of computers & software as utilized in the Food Safety environment: Windows operating system, Word, Excel.
- Candidates must be well organized and comfortable working independently.
- Bilingual English and Spanish highly desired.
- Ability to travel to all harvesting areas as needed is required.
- Valid California Driver’s License, Class C, be insurable and ability to operate a company vehicle is required.
- High school diploma or years of experience.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $26.00 - $31.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Overtime
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Ability to Commute:
- Castroville, CA 95012 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Castroville, CA 95012: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
Salary : $26 - $31