Lab Technician
The Lab Technician performs comprehensive quality testing on food ingredient products, including sensory, analytical, chemical, and physical evaluations, ensuring compliance with specifications and food safety standards. This role involves equipment calibration, non-conformance investigations, documentation in LIMS, and active participation in GMP inspections and continuous improvement initiatives within a food manufacturing environment. It offers an entry-level opportunity with potential for career growth in quality and production leadership.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Scientific & QA.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
This Contract-to-Hire Lab Technician role supports quality and food safety testing for ingredient and finished food products. You will run sensory and analytical tests, maintain equipment, document results, and collaborate with production to ensure product quality and compliance.
- Perform sensory evaluations and analytical, chemical, and physical tests on finished goods and incoming ingredients per specifications.
- Calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment according to calibration procedures.
- Identify non-conforming lots and batches; investigate root causes and document findings.
- Collect and composite swab samples and support external microbiological testing.
- Conduct daily GMP inspections, in-plant process audits, and environmental monitoring (swabbing equipment/rooms/drains).
- Record test results accurately in LIMS and internal databases for tracking and trending.
- Create ingredient labels and support traceability and batch release once specifications are confirmed.
- Assist with complaint investigations and contribute to corrective and preventive actions.
- Write or update laboratory SOPs and participate in continuous improvement activities.
- Communicate quality findings to production and cross-functional teams; support extended or variable shifts as required.
- Perform physical tasks (standing, walking, reaching, stooping, kneeling) and move items up to 55 lbs while using required PPE.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma and 1–2 years’ experience in a quality or laboratory role in a manufacturing environment, or a bachelor’s degree with relevant laboratory exposure and hands-on experience.
- Basic laboratory skills and familiarity with quality control practices in a food or ingredient manufacturing environment.
- Experience or ability to perform sensory testing (including dairy-containing products).
- Ability to calibrate and maintain lab equipment and to perform analytical, chemical, and physical testing.
- Comfort working in both lab and plant environments with varying temperatures and humidity.
- Ability to lift up to 55 pounds and perform prolonged standing/walking.
- Strong attention to detail and experience documenting results in LIMS or similar systems.
- Willingness to work extended shifts, occasional weekends, or adjusted hours when needed.
Preferred (Nice-to-Have) Qualifications
- Experience performing GMP inspections, internal audits, and environmental monitoring (equipment/room swabbing).
- Familiarity with composite sampling and sending samples for external microbiological testing.
- Experience writing or reviewing laboratory SOPs and participating in continuous improvement.
- Background working with powdered products or dairy-mixed ingredients.
- Prior fast-paced, hands-on experience (e.g., restaurant, production) and interest in long-term quality or production leadership.
Compensation & Benefits
- Pay range: $21.00 - $21.55 per hour (hourly range provided by our client). Individual pay within this range depends on experience and other job-related factors.
- Potential benefits (eligibility may depend on classification and tenure): medical, dental & vision; critical illness, accident & hospital coverage; 401(k) with pre-tax and Roth options; voluntary life & AD&D; short- and long-term disability; HSA; transportation benefits; employee assistance program; PTO/leave.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements
- Fully onsite, combined lab/test kitchen and food manufacturing plant in Bridgeton, MO.
- Small, collaborative lab team working closely with a supervisor, quality manager, and QA coordinators.
- Work may occur in areas that are hot, humid, or cooler (warehouse areas). Appropriate PPE and uniforms required.
- Must have no disqualifying food allergies (other than peanut and fish/shellfish per client requirements) and no color blindness for sensory/visual testing tasks.
Job Type & Location
- Employment type: Full-time (Contract to Hire)
- Location: Bridgeton, MO — fully onsite
Additional Notes
Careertakes supports this hiring process as the third-party recruiter. The client enforces standard rules regarding reasonable accommodations and non-discrimination. AI tools may be used to assist with application review; human decision-making remains final.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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