Quality Assurance Lab Technician

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, Memphis Meats is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. Memphis Meats is a mission-driven company focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

The Quality Assurance Lab Technician will assist in establishing and enforcing the food safety and quality systems that will come to define cell-cultured meat food production, processing, and packaging processes required to ensure safe and delicious meat food products for consumers at pilot and commercial scale.

The Quality Assurance Lab Technician will become knowledgeable with the  products, processes, and company priorities as they relate to the QA lab, plant testing and plant HACCP/Preventive Controls monitoring. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the processes and testing conducted in a food testing laboratory, and is eager to accept the challenges and pitfalls that will surely manifest in this newly created industry.

This is an hourly paid role that will primarily work Monday through Friday dayshift, with some afternoon shifts required as needed. 

Duties include

• Implementation of the Food Safety & Quality Management System that will be the pillar of manufacturing cell-cultured meat and an example for this new way of making food.
• Work in concert with and support the Food Safety staff, R&D staff and Regulatory team. The Quality Assurance team is responsible for Analytical and Microbiology labs, maintenance of lab and plant floor equipment and calibration programs, day to day oversight of testing outlined in the plant Food Safety and HACCP plans and overall participation in the food safety and quality programs.  Support the checkout, start-up, commissioning and validation of the plant and labs.
• Results oriented and driven to serve their internal and external customers while implementing the regulatory strategy, systems and programs in order to meet all corporate goals and objectives.
• Demonstrable ability to support both FDA and USDA relationships, inspection regimens, post-market compliance plans, adverse event reporting, and label approval processes associated with the plant.
• Possess and portray a strong commitment to Quality and Food Safety throughout the UPSIDE Foods organization.

About you

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (food science, food manufacturing, biology, etc.) preferred, or equivalent experience.

• 2+ years experience in food manufacturing within the food safety and quality department preferred.
• Knowledge of food manufacturing and the ability to perform chemical and microbiological analyses associated with FSMA/HACCP/HARPC programs.
• Experience and working knowledge of continuous improvement processes as well as the ability to effectively collaborate with other departments, suppliers and customers.
• A technical background with an understanding of cellular biology and laboratory practices.
• A collaborative nature that works well independently and with others
• A willingness to work with teammates to build a healthy professional environment to produce delicious, safe meat products
• Ability to work evening/night hours and weekends, as needed
• Able to carry up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to stand up for long periods of time while monitoring operations and performing daily tasks.
• Able to don Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses, gloves, footwear, lab coats or coveralls) on a daily basis, as well as hearing and dust protection as needed.