Production & QA Manager
About Us: Rebellyous Foods is a food production technology company making plant-based meat available and affordable to everyone through the development of custom, globally patented automated food processing technology. The company was founded in 2017 to invent and deploy the tools needed to radically increase production capacity while dramatically lowering costs for high-quality plant-based meat. Through development and deployment of its patented Mock 2© Production System technology, Rebellyous has solved the biggest problems that are holding back the widespread adoption of alternative proteins: price and quality at scale.
About the Role: Rebellyous Foods is seeking a well-qualified, full-time Production & QA Manager to work closely with the engineering, R&D and operations teams to develop and deploy novel food processing systems in manufacturing environments, as well as manage daily (or weekly) production, food safety and quality assurance initiatives for Rebellyous products. Some additional product development/commercialization tasks are also needed. The ideal candidate will be energetic, flexible, detail-oriented and amenable to working in a fast-paced, constantly changing, technically-challenging manufacturing start-up environment. This position is an extraordinary opportunity to join the growth stage of a fast growing, mission-focused start-up working to change the meat processing industry to address climate change and democratize access to climate-friendly foods for everyone. This position reports to the Vice President of Operations.
Job duties include, but are not limited to:
- Act as a key liaison with contract manufacturers and travel frequently to plant locations* to monitor production, quality assurance, food safety and sanitation protocols within the facility. Create and/or source training materials and administer training for co-manufacturer personnel as needed.
- Lead the development of food safety plans, sanitation protocols, create, maintain and standardize operating procedures for novel and off-the-shelf food processing equipment. Frequently report to peers, managers, executive team and board members on these topics.
- Develop and monitor quality assurance metrics throughout the manufacturing process to ensure saleability and quality of finished goods. Write food processing guidelines for new and in-use production methods.
- Collaborate with the engineering team to map out and plan equipment commissioning, including but not limited to labor, material and test planning.
- Understand the operations of Mock 2 subsystems and equipment, identify operational gaps to Mock 2 implementation, make recommendations and deploy action plans on addressing the same.
- Coordinate with outside vendors to ensure timely completion of testing schedules.
- Collaborate with and work alongside technicians to complete bench, equipment, recipe, and prototype testing and associated tasks to support development of novel and off-the-shelf equipment.
- Support engineering team meetings for ideation and human-centered design of equipment R&D to apply knowledge of food production and worker comfort and capabilities to ensure optimal design and iteration.
- Support acquisition of equipment and installation, while directing other staff members to support the same.
- Place orders for ingredients, equipment, parts, or other supplies.
- Provide training to other technicians and engineers on safe and sanitary operation of equipment and testing tools.
- Support company initiatives and complete tasks to ongoing product development and all stages of product commercialization as necessary. Assist Product Development and Engineering R&D as needed with benchtop and early stage production by making/cooking/preparing samples, addressing quality control issues and tracking and resolving food production issues.
- Maintain the test kitchen and experimental equipment in a sanitary condition per Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
- Execute all duties and responsibilities of facility SQF practitioner, including maintaining records as our co-manufacturer is SQF certified. Lead and execute Environmental Monitoring Program, including adjusting programs as needed to optimize for a safe food production environment. Administer ATP and APC Swabbing Program, and adjust program as workflows change.
- Support and grow company safety initiatives.
- Establish and/or maintain special quality and food safety programs and certifications for the facility, products, and/or production lines.
- Manage and execute special projects as assigned in support of food production or R&D efforts.
- Review and prepare documentation and reporting for each production run.
Skills and Experience Requirements:
- At least 2 years experience in large-scale food production, food manufacturing and professional sanitation, and creation and/or implementation of food safety plans and standard operating procedures for production and sanitation personnel.
- Training or education in food science, engineering, microbiology, or similar fields is required.
- Willingness to travel up to 1-2 weeks per month and work occasional weekend and after-hours shifts.
- Ability and willingness to operate, clean, and assemble a wide variety of complex manufacturing equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Ability to diligently follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) including washing and sanitizing hands and gloves, wearing of proper equipment, and practicing good hygiene.
- Ability to think outside the box and work towards resolution with a sense of urgency.
- Detailed record keeping abilities and thoughtfulness regarding project iteration.
- Flexibility is a must, as day-to-day operations may pivot due to production or testing needs.
- Attention to detail, commitment to excellence, and adherence to food safety.
- Comfortable handling and preparing food with a willingness to learn and follow all procedures and protocols.
- Ability to work in an ever-evolving environment with constant changes to processes and equipment.
- Able to lift, bend, squat, and carry up to 40 pounds.
- A passion to make the plant-based meat industry succeed.
- Ability to work with your hands extensively and stand on your feet for 8 hours or more.
- Ability to complete physical labor such as packaging and cleaning.
Compensation and benefits: Commensurate with experience, from 60k-80k. Full-time employees are eligible for medical, dental and vision insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, access to discounted Rebellyous products, and much more!
Location: Headquarters (on-site): Tukwila, WA; Travel: up to 25-50% of each month. Rebellyous Foods is an in-office work environment.
How to apply: Apply on our website at www.rebellyous.com/careers. We are genuinely interested in learning more about why you are excited to work at Rebellyous Foods, so please provide a cover letter with your resume.
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy: At Rebellyous Foods, we aim to attract the most qualified and creative problem-solvers to the mission of providing sustainable, affordable meat alternatives. In achieving that goal, Rebellyous Foods does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our operations. Women, minorities, people of color, and those with non-traditional educational and experiential backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Further, we are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. Discrimination or harassment in any form or based on any of the above factors is prohibited, as is retaliation against a person who has made a complaint or given information regarding possible violations of our policy.
