Field Food Safety Technologist; Salinas, CA - St

Field Food Safety Technologist (Salinas, CA - Work St.)

Shift: Monday – Saturday, must be able to work any shift. Status:
Non-Exempt.

Reports to:

Food Safety Manager. Wage Range: $73K - $100K.

Position:
Field Food Safety Technologist

Responsible for ensuring comprehensive understanding and execution of field food safety programs and processes. This role involves analyzing and interpreting assessment data, communicating requirements to growers, auditors, and harvest crews, and engaging suppliers’ food safety teams to achieve compliance and continuous improvement.

• Analyze and interpret food safety assessments; translate findings for growers, auditors, and stakeholders.
• Communicate food safety standards to harvest crews and grower representatives; ensure clarity and buy-in.
• Manage time and overtime independently; resolve field food safety disputes.
• Make informed decisions and judgment calls for out-of-range scenarios; elevate issues outside SOPs (e.g., harmful insects).
• Ensure daily execution of food safety practices by all stakeholders, bridge gaps in understanding.
• Conduct training, process verification, validation, and corrective actions.
• Implement adjustments as needed; operate with integrity and impartiality.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Quality teams where required.
• Participate in projects and subprojects, including implementation work.
• Perform Harvest Machine Sanitation TPC evaluations and in-process Listeria testing.
• Prepare Grower Ranch Risk Assessment summaries.

• Maintain and work in accord with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration norms.
• Adhere to GMP’s in accordance with company policy.

• Excellent communication and engagement skills with suppliers.
• Experience in dispute resolution and corrective action processes.
• Proficiency in risk assessment and sanitation evaluation.
• Familiarity with cross-functional food safety and quality processes.
• Strong knowledge of field food safety programs and regulatory requirements.

• Literate in English. Bi-literate in English and Spanish preferred.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills with suppliers.

• Ability to calculate proportions, percentages, and volume. Statistical analysis preferred.
• Must be able to apply concepts of high school mathematics aptitude testing.

• Valid driver’s license
• LGMA, PCQI, or other related food safety training and/or certificates are preferred.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists is required.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Must be able to organize time, schedule, and work on simultaneous projects.

• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure and adapt to changing conditions.

Talk or hear regularly. Sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms. Stand, walk, bend, and smell frequently. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and peripheral vision. The position requires travel and weekend work.

Regularly exposed to outside weather elements with fluctuating temperatures ranging from cold to hot and dry to wet. Noise level is usually normal with occasional louder noise near larger equipment. Due to weather elements such as mud, individuals should have keen sense of worker safety based on surroundings.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA);
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC);
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA);
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

Department: QA & Food Safety
Non-management position
Full-time position.