Quality Assurance & EHS Compliance Technician

Location: Florence, KY

Compensation: $20.55 – $22.55 per hour

Shift: Day Shift, 7:00am – 7:00pm

Your day, at a glance

You arrive for a 7am start, gear up with required PPE, and take a quick walk-through of the production floor. You collect and label samples from designated machines, then head to the QA lab to run tensile strength, handle strength, ink rub resistance, bar code scans, and basis weight tests using instruments like the tensile tester, Sutherland rub tester, bar code scanner, and gram scale. Throughout the day you perform random audits on skids and bales, log findings in Microsoft Excel, and communicate updates to operators, supervisors, and plant leadership. You join a safety meeting aligned to OSHA standards, help track items from the plant safety committee, and support ongoing GEMBA audits to resolve any recurring or critical issues. Before shift end, you send a concise summary of the day’s safety and quality highlights—what’s fixed and what needs escalation—so the next team is ready to move.

What you will do

• Work safely at all times, following established safety rules, PPE requirements (steel-toe shoes, hearing protection, safety glasses, hair nets/beard nets), and food service policies.
• Keep your workspace clean and organized per 5S standards.
• Ensure corporate and plant safety procedures are followed; escalate issues to supervision if noncompliance is observed.
• Report and document quality concerns to machine operators, supervisors, and plant management.
• Collect, catalog, and maintain samples from designated machines for traceability.
• Conduct random audits of finished goods (skids and bales) to verify product quality.
• Perform QA lab testing: paper tensile strength, handle strength, ink rub resistance, bar code scanning, and basis weight.
• Operate and maintain QA lab equipment: tensile tester, Sutherland rub tester, bar code scanner, and gram scale.
• Maintain compliance with OSHA and EPA regulations.
• Assist with internal audits and inspections; document results in required safety systems.
• Participate in weekly OSHA-aligned safety meetings and support plant safety committee goals.
• Help train shipping/receiving and production teams on safety practices.
• Send daily end-of-shift summaries covering safety and quality actions, resolutions, and outstanding escalations.
• Oversee the GEMBA program, ensuring audits are completed and serious or repeat issues are addressed promptly; keep systems updated.
• Communicate regularly with employees at all levels, including Corporate Safety and Quality, via email, calls, and meetings.
• Organize and lead food safety certification initiatives.
• Partner with the Corporate EHS Manager on plant safety and environmental topics.
• Complete and document required Mobile Inspections.
• Use Microsoft Excel to prepare reports and record test and audit results.
• Assist in investigating customer complaints and contribute to resolving quality issues.
• Deliver required training and support new employee orientation as needed.
• Follow Food Contact Packaging Safety requirements per the SQF Quality Manual and GMPs.
• Continuously monitor product quality, ensuring all corporate and plant quality procedures are followed.
• Perform and record audits, including Monthly Sanitation and Security, GMPs, Master Cleaning Schedules, and Glass & Brittle Plastics.
• Investigate and analyze customer complaints; support claims against carriers, corrective action responses, and root cause analysis.

What you bring

• 2+ years in production, quality, or safety within a warehouse or manufacturing environment.
• Strong reading, writing, and basic math skills; working knowledge of quality standards.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Clear written and verbal communication; able to lead meetings with employees and management.
• Self-directed with strong organization, time management, and analytical abilities.

Proficiencies

• Quality Inspection Experience
• Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA)
• Quality Control Experience
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)