QA Tech I - Whitebridge Pet

General Mills, Inc. manufactures some of the most beloved foods in the world, including Cheerios and Lucky Charms, Nature Valley granola bars and Totino's pizza rolls. Blue Buffalo became part of General Mills in 2018, and the recent acquisition of Whitebridge Pet, so even your pets love us too. We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together.

Check out why General Mills Manufacturing is the place to grow a career:

Why manufacturing at General Mills is the place to be (youtube.com)

 Quality Assurance Technician I – Whitebridge Pet, Joplin, MO

As a part of our manufacturing group, you will be responsible for supporting production packaging and processing operations, sanitation and participation in startup, changeover,

and shutdown of operating equipment.

Shift hours:

               Hiring for 2^nd Shift

• 8-hour shifts
• 2nd shift: 2:15pm to 10:45pm
• 3rd shift: 10:00pm to 6:30am
• Ability and willingness to work overtime, any shift, including days, nights, weekends, holidays, and emergency events
• Plant operation is 24 hours a day, 5 days per week 

Pay:

• $22.00

Benefits:

• 15 days (120 hours) of vacation annually and 11 paid holidays
• Great paid time off benefits
• 401(k) match
• Health Insurance- Including medical, vision, dental and life
• And much more! 

About our Location: 

Located in Joplin, Missouri, Whitebridge Pet Brands is a key part of General Mills' pet division. This innovative company specializes in providing natural, minimally processed dog and cat foods, treats, and supplements, featuring renowned brands like Tiki Pets, Cloud Star, and Dogswell. With approximately 52 dedicated employees, we operate in a dynamic business environment that values safety, teamwork, accountability, responsiveness, and respect. We pride ourselves in bringing health and happiness to pets and owners by making food pets love!

Our Products:  Dog Treats

What your day will look like: 

• Creating high quality natural dog and cat treats that are eaten EVERYDAY, NATIONWIDE
• Using TECHNOLOGY in an industry-leading facility
• Working with HIGH-LEVEL operators on EXPERIENCED teams that are looking to pass down their knowledge to workers WILLING TO LEARN and get paid doing it
• CHALLENGING yourself to get the JOB DONE RIGHT and gain skills to take with you to your next opportunity
• Lab & Testing: Perform daily calibrations, maintain lab cleanliness, and manage inventory. Conduct and document a variety of quality control tests on finished products and water activity, including residual oxygen, leakers, net weights, shelf life, and foreign material. Document and resolve product holds and participate in lab proficiency testing.
• Oven Operations:Operate, monitor, and unload ovens, ensuring all critical control points are met.
• Sample Collections:Collect, label, package, and ship samples for micro testing, swabs, and product development. Manage documentation and communicate results for the positive release of finished products.
• Operation Checks:Conduct and document routine line checks, foot bath/dry quat chemical concentration tests, and visual inspections of production changeovers. Evaluate and document incoming raw materials and ingredients as needed.
• Documentation & Communication:Maintain accurate records for product quality, regulatory compliance (HACCP), and trace exercises. Timely communicate any issues or deviations from test results, documentation errors, or production problems to appropriate personnel.

What you have to offer: 

• Minimum of a high school education or GED
• 1 year of experience in a food manufacturing facility preferred
• Working knowledge of computer systems; Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook is a plus
• Previous lab experience preferred that includes testing with water activity, moisture, residual oxygen, package leak detection, net weights, pH, NIR, etc.
• Must possess the ability to understand and effectively communicate with co-workers, supervisors and others in the workplace regarding work matters (our business is generally conducted in English).

Physical requirements:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs
• Must be able to perform physical tasks for extended periods of time including standing, walking, climbing, bending, pushing, pulling and twisting over surfaces
• Ability to climb and/or work at heights while utilizing stairs, ladders, personnel lifts, or platforms
• Ability to wear protective clothing and equipment such as safety shoes, face masks, safety glasses, hearing protection, a hard hat, a hair/beard net and gloves when required
• Willing and able to adhere to all grooming requirements necessary for a food manufacturing environment
• Ability to work in hot, cold, noisy, dusty, wet environmental working conditions
• Willing to work around industrial high-speed moving machinery
• Ability to work with allergens that might be present in a food environment

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next.