Hold & Release Analyst

For our future state-of-the art 600+ person Lubbock, TX cheese and whey manufacturing facility, Leprino is seeking Hold & Release Analyst to join our Quality Execution team!

Leprino Foods broke ground on the $1 Billion facility in the summer of 2022. The plant became operational in 2024 with Phase 1 and will become fully operational by 2026 with Phase 2.

This position is responsible for the hold and release program and operates as a subject matter expert in applicable food safety and quality policies, programs, and systems. This position is responsible for ensuring that incoming materials intended for internal consumptions are reviewed and released in compliance with company policy/process. . All other duties as assigned.

• Manage hold report and product dispositions in a timely manner. Communicate with product management, production planner, plant management on out of spec conditions and production upsets to minimize impact to customer orders.
• Complete review of production records for product line and update batches with hold reason codes, comments, dispositions to align with plant procedures. Must be able to quickly review and assess risk to customer and escalate.
• Responsible for review and management of records for incoming ingredients and packaging materials. Responsible for release, disposition, and code conversion on ingredients for financial transactions for the plant related to product ingredients and materials
• Recognizes and/or communicates QE driven decisions as required to plant leadership in agreed format (daily reports, etc).
• Performs aseptic sampling of ingredients, materials, and products to prevent any cross contamination or erroneous results. Sampling may include purchased ingredients and packaging materials for required plant evaluations, finished product for missed sampling or when cut off samples are required, samples to send to corporate for analytical, micro, performance evaluations.
• Completes all pallet-to-pallet transactions in an accurate and timely manner in SAP when samples are collected post production.
• Reviews data from analytical, performance, microbiological, and physical checks to ensure that product being released has met established procedural steps and policy requirements for in-process and final product sampling.
• Troubleshoots Certificates of Compliance (COCs), and Certifications of Analysis (COAs), works with corporate and vendor to get updated/corrected COAs for purchased items.
• Serves as a backup for various professionals at the plant.
• Basic understanding of food safety programs and qualitysystems as it relates to production and potential impact to final product.
• Coordinate daily product review meetings, providing summary of issues and test results, driving open items to resolutions such as retests needed, open QA's, extraneous sorting plans, etc.
• Quality Alert management to ensure proper details are included prior to closing and making the final usage decision of the product. This requires collaboration with multiple teams to ensure proper training and follow up is delivered.
• Develop and report compliance Key Performance Indicators that measure plant performance for First Pass Good, Problem Product, etc and serve as a clear benchmark(s) for measuring improvements.
• Develop, implement, and drive a robust Document Control Program including Good Documentation Practices that assures timely and proper records completion and organization.
• Perform work in a safe manner by following safety procedures and policies, critical safety rules, and expected standard conduct.
• Maintain 5S standards and complete required master sanitation duties for role. Other accountabilities as given direction by QE supervisor and/or Manager.
• This position is responsible and accountable to ensure product meets food safety, regulatory, and quality requirements by following the Food Safety Plan, Quality Plan, and company policies.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience:

• Must be 18 years of age
• Must be able to read, write and speak the English language in order to understand/adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's), to communicate effectively with others, to complete required documentation both in written and electronic form, and to troubleshoot systems utilizing the English language.
• Must have the ability to perform essential job functions
• Must wear required personal protective equipment
• Must comply with all applicable safety practices
• Maintain a clean work area
• Complete written reports
• Perform basic and intermediate mathematical calculations
• Enter data into and pull data from computer systems
• Must possess considerable problem-solving ability in dealing with equipment or troubleshooting when supervision is not readily available for consultation

Preferred Qualifications & Experience:

• 2 years of work experience in similar type positions
• Experience in instrumentation operation and troubleshooting in a manufacturing environment
• Experience with computers and programs
• Experience with aseptic technique and sample pulling
• Experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred

Offering You In Return:

A chance to be part of a global team of individuals passionate about producing and delivering high-quality products that help feed and nourish families around the world. Leprino Foods could not be where it is today without our incredible employees. That is why we share in our success together by rewarding you for your hard work. Hiring great people who are in it for the long run is our goal. Through competitive salaries and bonuses, life, medical/dental/vision coverage, voluntary benefits, employee assistance programs, wellness incentives, tuition assistance, vacation, ten paid holidays, sick time, paid parental leave, annual merit increases, as well as the LFC Profit-Sharing & 401(k) plan. Your impact will be noticed and rewarded, as you seek to further our company, our customers, and one another.

Our Story:

Leprino Foods' history dates back over 70 years, when Jim Leprino first started making small batches of mozzarella for local markets and eateries in the Little Italy neighborhood of Denver. We've grown a bit since then. Today, Leprino Foods is the world's largest manufacturer of mozzarella and lactose, and a leading producer of whey protein. Still owned by Jim and the Leprino family, our sights are set to be the "World's Best Dairy Food and Ingredient Company." To help us achieve that bold vision, we're looking for our secret ingredient: You. A motivated team member who is the best at what you do. Three passionate individuals in a small corner grocery store in the early 1950s have now grown to almost 5,000 employees throughout 16 global locations. Will you join us on our journey?

Leprino Foods Company utilizes the services of Psychemedics to perform our Hair Follicle Drug Testing. Additional information about this process can be obtained atwww.psychemedics.com

Leprino Foods Company supports a drug-free workplace and is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer - M/F/Disability/Veteran

Leprino Foods requires all individuals to wear the appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) as required by the role and location