Quality Assurance Specialist: CONTRACT TO HIRE

Located in Los Angeles, California, HERE Studio is a start up for the seekers and the doers filled with passionate people who work hard and love what they do. Here Studio specializes in health & wellness brands that are exciting, story-driven, and uniquely poised to disrupt and innovate in their industries. Our standards are high because we believe in finding good talent, cultivating strong team relationships, and pushing for excellent work.

Our current brands include De La Calle, De La Calle Cocteles & VINA.

This is a 90 day CONTRACT-TO-HIRE position will be responsible for supporting Quality and R&D across each of these separate entities. This role is a hybrid role working remotely and in Ventura and the Santa Clarita, CA areas, you will report directly to the Head of R&D and Quality, Rafael Martin del Campo.

The main objectives (key performance indicators) for this position in 2023 are:

Quality/Safety Indicator - Manage and maintain yearly audits and comply with regulatory bodies.

Impact Indicator - Maintain a low number of customer complaints by reassuring food quality and food safety during production.

Efficiency/Productivity Indicator - Deliver scheduled samples required for De La Calle, De La Calle Cócteles and VINA, while maintaining product quality.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure GMP and food safety requirements and policies are implemented and respected.

Capable of implementing and coordinating Audits (Organic), food safety programs (HACCP, Environmental Monitoring, Pest Management, Raw Material and Finished Product Sampling Plan) for De La Calle, De La Calle Cocteles and VINA brands.

Capable of maintaining good document control practices between co-packers and/or our own facility.

Support the implementation of corrective actions associated with identified gaps (both internal and external).

Ensure documents are entered and properly organized into the company's software/drive.

Verification of documentation requirements for ingredients being supplied to each brand (including bills of lading, packing lists, delivery notes, and quality certificates).

Work closely with Operations department to ensure incoming ingredients, chemicals, and packaging materials are sampled, inspected, and approved for use in the production.

Provide support to correct key food safety and product quality complaints

Continuous improvement of the Quality department.

Collect production data results as well as other work-in-progress analysis to ensure they fall within specification ranges.

Assist in the implementation and maintenance of Quality programs.

Verification of documentation requirements for product development (nutritional information sheet, product specification, organic certificates among others)

Support R&D initiatives (samples preparation, ingredients blending, etc).

Feel comfortable operating in a fast paced and dynamic environment while working on multiple projects with some interdependencies and high technical complexity.

Please note this job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without prior Notice.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle or feel and talk or hear

Should be able to work in environments with variable noise levels, lighting conditions and temperature variation and able to access all areas of building without limitations

The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms above the head and below the waist

The employee is frequently required to drive to different co-packers, warehouses, supplier meetings, and offices

Be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs

ABOUT THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

You have an undergraduate degree in Food Science and Technology or related field (Biology, Microbiology, Food Microbiology, etc.), preferred.

You have experience in Organic, Kosher, and Quality related audits.

You understand and are able to apply government regulations in relation to food processing.

You know and understand fermentation and have experience in beverage manufacturing.

You are a team player and can work effectively cross-functionally.

You are a proactive communicator with problem solving & strong organizational skills

You understand and know how to implement Food Safety Plans, HACCP, GMPs, Environmental Monitoring, microbiological testing, food and beverage regulations.

You have excellent communication skills and are a team player.

You have strong computer skills i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint systems

You are highly responsible. You have strong leadership abilities. You admit mistakes quickly - we all make them - and your personal sense of ethics can be relied upon absolutely.

Most of all, you’re excited to build upon what you’ve learned in past roles, take on new challenges in a start-up environment, and be a part of a growing team and support growing brands

Bilingual (English and Spanish) is a plus.

WHAT YOU GET

A role at a group of companies that are growing in the triple digits

The opportunity to work with a fantastic team of creative, hard-working people

An awesome work environment: we’re flexible around hybrid work and open to a remote candidate for this position, but the West Adams office is just a great place to be

Office lunches & snacks

Competitive pay, Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurance

Generous PTO & Company Holidays

401(k) with company match

Cell phone reimbursement

Unlimited De La Calle tepache & Vina prebiotic soda

A huge company party at the end of the year