Quality Specialist - Four Roses Distillery : Job Details

Four Roses Distillery is seeking qualified candidates for the role of Quality Specialist. This role supports the Cox's Creek Bottling Line by daily administering quality control practices to assure increased consistency, efficiency and ultimately a higher level of quality product.

Summary/Objective

The Quality Specialist is an integral part of the Quality Department. The position supports the Quality at Source practices in bottling operations to ensure that the operators perform standardized, consistent testing and analysis and works to ensure compliance to standard operating procedures and compliance to specifications. This position conducts job duties in a manner that demonstrates a strong food safety culture which ensures the safety and quality of our products. The work schedule is typically Monday - Friday 7:00a - 3:30p. Flexibility is needed when the line requires extra work.

Essential Functions Time Allocations

Major Responsibilities 80%

Quality Assurance

Administer quality control practices and procedures to the bottling lines helping to assure consistency and in producing the highest quality product.

• Assist in developing and implementing applicable quality systems in a quickly evolving environment
• Assist with investigation and corrective action system for all defective product occurrences
• Responsible for the inspection of incoming packaging materials to ensure they meet Four Roses quality specifications
• Responsible for daily line audits and finished goods audits to ensure the quality of finished goods produced
• Conduct and compile routine audits of quality line documentation
• Conduct routine audits of quality documentation to support the Four Roses Quality Management System
• Provide all QC specification/reference material for bottling line daily
• Support all quality initiatives and continuous improvement efforts

Sample Test/Analysis and Reports Filing

Perform standardized bottling on-line and laboratory tests according to prescribed procedures and record.

• Periodic (liquid quality checks including proof, color, clarity, sensory and particulate) line proof checks
• Lab Equipment verification, maintenance, and calibration
• GCMS Maturate Testing
• Vision system adjustments, maintenance, and validation
• RO water checks
• Sensory set-up and checks of water, plant air, maturate and distillate product
• Facilitate effective and accurate collection and management of bottling line
• Quality and food safety data

Food Safety

Help maintain Four Roses Food Safety Program

• Assist in developing and implementing applicable food safety policies and procedures
• Conduct internal audits for the warehouse and bottling facilities
• Execute verification and validation activities

Minor Responsibilities 20%

• Manage day to day operation of Sensory/Bottling Lab
• Participate in periodic panel evaluations at Distillery

Other Duties as Assigned

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the team member for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Required Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to communicate all levels of team members/staff/visitors
• Strong organizational skills, the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, maintain flexibility as necessary
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships, manage conflicts and encourage friendly working environment
• Ability to make decisions in a high pressure and fast paced environment
• High level of problem solving, critical thinking, reasoning skills

Required Education and Experience

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Bachelor's degree is required - strong preference for Food Safety or Chemistry, or other hard science
• 1 year of experience in a quality department within a manufacturing facility. If candidates have experience in spirits, less time will be considered
• Experience with quality systems
• Proficient computer literacy with ability to utilize the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook; must have ability to adapt to bottling line software

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience in the spirits industry
• Experience in beverage operations

Job Related Information

Supervisory Responsibility

Quality Specialist has no supervisory responsibilities. Coordinates with Quality and Bottling departments when quality issues arise.

Work Environment

This job operates 75% in a warehouse/manufacturing environment and 25% in an office environment. This role routinely uses standard quality control equipment such as Density meter, balance, turbidity meter, colorimeter and GCMS .

Travel

Travel will be required between Kentucky locations. May travel to other suppliers, bottlers, etc. Some travel may be outside of the state and possibly outside the U.S. as necessary.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, climbing stairs, the ability to lift at least 50 lbs., and moving event materials and supplies, as the job requires. The team member must work as team member in comparable work and actions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive annual salary with bonus potential
• Excellent Benefits package includes:
• Health Insurance with a subsidized deductible
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer discretionary and/or defined contribution
• Life insurance
• Paid Time Off including Vacation, PTO and Holidays
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability