Seasonal Food Quality Assurance Supervisor

Season: June - September

Job Summary/Overview

Circle Seafoods seeks an experienced and dynamic Quality Control Operations Supervisor for our summer season at the Metlakatla, AK Barge Plant. This critical role on the Quality and Data Team manages our quality control and assurance program, ensuring our fresh, wild-caught salmon freezing operations meet high quality standards. This is a great opportunity for professional growth within an innovative seafood company committed to delivering exceptional products.

Key Responsibilities:

The Quality Control Operations Supervisor plays a critical and multifaceted role in ensuring the highest standards of product safety, quality, and operational efficiency throughout the seasonal processing cycle. This position is responsible for the direct supervision, training, and management of the Quality Control (QC) team, acting as the primary on-site authority for all quality assurance and regulatory compliance matters.

The supervisor's primary duties encompass:

• Team Leadership and Management: Directly managing the daily activities, scheduling, and performance of QC technicians and personnel. This includes providing mentorship, conducting seasonal performance reviews, and ensuring a safe, efficient, and productive work environment.
• Quality Assurance and Compliance: Assisting in overseeing the implementation and rigorous adherence to the company's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs). This also involves maintaining up-to-date knowledge of and compliance with all relevant federal and state regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, NOAA, Alaska state regulations). Further, this means being the onsite point person for 3rd party food safety audits.
• Inspection and Monitoring: Conducting and overseeing regular, detailed inspections of raw material (catch), in-process product, finished goods, equipment, and facility sanitation. Ensuring all quality checks, including temperature monitoring, sanitation, weight checks, grading, and species identification, are performed accurately and documented according to established protocols.
• Documentation and Reporting: Maintaining comprehensive, accurate, and organized quality control records, logs, and databases. Preparing detailed reports summarizing quality metrics, non-conformance issues, corrective actions, and regulatory compliance status for presentation to the Plant Manager, corporate Quality Assurance department, and potential 3rd party audits.
• Problem-Solving and Corrective Action: Serving as the immediate point of contact for quality deviations and non-conformance issues. Investigating the root cause of quality failures (e.g., spoilage, contamination, incorrect labeling), implementing immediate corrective actions, and developing preventative measures to mitigate future risks.
• Training and Development: Developing and delivering effective training programs for the QC team and relevant production staff on quality procedures, regulatory standards, food safety practices, and the proper use of testing equipment.
• Collaboration: Working closely with the Quality and Data Manager, Production Managers, Maintenance Supervisors, and Procurement staff to address operational challenges that impact product quality and efficiency, fostering a culture of quality ownership across all plant departments.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

• Bachelors degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, or a closely related scientific field is preferred.
• Relevant professional certifications or equivalent military/trade school experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in a quality assurance or quality control role within a food manufacturing environment, with a strong preference for the seafood industry.
• At least 2 years of proven supervisory or management experience, including hiring, training, scheduling, and performance management of a QC team.
• Demonstrated experience with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan implementation and monitoring.
• Working knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).

Technical Skills:

• Expertise in performing and interpreting various quality control tests
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and report generation using Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Familiarity with electronic traceability and inventory management systems relevant to food processing.
• Ability to read, understand, and accurately execute complex regulatory and internal documentation.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Current HACCP certification required.
• Better Process Control School (BPCS) certification is a strong asset.
• ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) or similar certification is a plus.

Core Competencies:

• Leadership & Team Management: Ability to lead, motivate, and manage a diverse team in a fast-paced, high-pressure, seasonal environment.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective interaction with production staff, management, regulatory agencies, and third-party auditors.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to quickly identify root causes of quality deviations and implement corrective actions.
• Detail-Oriented: Meticulous attention to detail in record-keeping, documentation, and product evaluation to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Adaptability: Capacity to thrive in a demanding, remote work setting with long hours, often changing schedules, and fluctuating production demands.

Preferred Qualifications:

Skills or Experience:

• Experience specifically with Alaskan Salmon.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish, Tagalog, or other languages commonly spoken by the seasonal workforce.
• Previous experience working in a remote processing plant or barge operation.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (10-12+ hours per shift) on slippery and uneven surfaces.
• Ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills for product handling and detailed QC checks.
• Tolerance for working in a cold, wet, and noisy environment (0F to 50F).
• Must be able to climb stairs and ladders and navigate confined spaces.

Work Setting:

A combination of office environment for documentation and data analysis, and the primary location being the dynamic, active Barge Processing plant (processing floor, freezing tunnels, storage areas).

Availability: Must have consistent and reliable attendance. The role demands the ability to work long hours, seven days a week, throughout the production seasons.

Working Conditions: The candidate must be willing and able to work in a remote area of Alaska and within a seafood processing plant for 3 months. This includes travel and work in inclement weather, as well as an environment with inherent hazards (e.g., moving machinery, ammonia, wet floors, noise, forklift traffic).

Career Growth Opportunities:

Circle is a rapidly growing innovative wild seafood business, with consistent opportunities for team members to expand the scope of their involvement with and contributions to the business. While it is important for Circle to ensure that certain goals and roles are fulfilled, we maintain a culture of open collaboration and support and encourage every team member to identify how they can align their experience and interests in ways that best promote the profitability of Circle Seafoods and their happiness, even when these alignments fall outside of the scope of a role/job description that a team member was hired to fulfill.

Benefits:

• Housing provided in Alaska
• Meals and snacks provided
• Sick Time
• Point of hire travel provided to and from Alaska
• Other: 401k administration

Circle Seafoods, QALICB Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or other protected status.

If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to hr@circleseafoods.com