Quality Control Technician I
The Quality Control Technician role supports food safety and product quality in a meat processing environment through routine inspections, testing, and documentation. Responsibilities include performing temperature and sanitation checks, conducting GMP inspections, supporting audits, and assisting with corrective actions to ensure compliance and continuous improvement. The position offers multi-level growth opportunities and requires close collaboration with production and quality teams in an on-site facility.
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
The Confidential Client is hiring a Quality Control Technician I to support food safety and product quality in a meat processing environment. This is an onsite, contract-to-hire role based in Carson, CA. The position focuses on routine quality checks, sanitation verification, documentation, and supporting continuous improvement across production.
- Perform product temperature checks across production to confirm compliance with specifications and food-safety limits
- Conduct ATP hygiene checks and verify sanitizer concentrations for effective sanitation
- Inspect equipment and production areas for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) compliance
- Measure pH and salt concentrations and document results
- Perform pre-operational inspections and thermometer calibrations
- Execute seal-integrity (vacuum) tests and collect sensory/retain samples
- Verify label accuracy and assist with incoming materials/receiving inspections
- Accurately record all QC and food-safety observations and escalate deviations to QA leadership
- Support audits, corrective action (CAPA) follow-up, and root-cause investigations as directed
- When assigned at higher levels (QC Tech II/III), perform environmental swabbing in RTE areas, monitor cold storage (freezers/coolers), and mentor junior team members
Who You Are / Required Skills
- Experience in meat processing or a related food production setting
- Comfortable performing weight checks, temperature readings, pH and salt measurements
- Experience with ATP hygiene checks, environmental monitoring, and GMP inspections
- Basic computer proficiency for data entry, logging, and reporting
- Strong attention to detail and ability to escalate quality or safety issues promptly
- Able to follow SOPs and work within food safety programs (e.g., HACCP, SQF) or adapt to them quickly
- Reliable, punctual, and able to work the shift schedule described below
Preferred Qualifications
- QC experience at the production-floor level (thermometer calibration, seal tests, label verification)
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related discipline is a plus
- Prior involvement in audits, CAPA development, or training/mentoring teammates
Work Schedule & Location
- Location: Carson, CA — fully onsite in a meat processing facility
- QC Tech I: typically second shift (start between 9:00 AM–12:00 PM), Mon–Fri; some Sundays possible
- QC Tech II: typically first shift (start between 5:00 AM–7:00 AM), Mon–Fri; some Sundays possible
- First-week training: 7:00 AM–3:30 PM
- You will work around production lines, freezers, coolers, and ready-to-eat areas using thermometers, ATP meters, vacuum seal testers, and computers for data entry
Contract Details & Compensation
- Job type: Contract to Hire (6-month contract with potential for long-term conversion based on performance and business needs)
- Pay range: $22.85 - $24.57 per hour (Carson, CA — pay disclosed per state pay-transparency requirements)
- Benefits (eligibility may depend on classification and tenure): medical, dental & vision; 401(k); voluntary life and AD&D; short/long-term disability; HSA; transportation benefits; EAP; PTO where applicable
Legal & Accessibility Notes
Careertakes and the Confidential Client comply with all applicable U.S. federal, state, and local hiring laws. Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates with disabilities; please request accommodations early in the process. This posting does not ask for or require any unlawful pre-employment tests.
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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