Quality Manager - Ready to Eat

About the role

Meijer is hiring a Quality Manager for its Ready to Eat operation in Middlebury. Reporting to the Director of Food Safety for Manufacturing, the role leads site food safety and quality programs for high-risk manufacturing operations. It maintains regulatory, customer and certification compliance, leads food safety plans and prerequisite programs, and acts as the primary site contact for inspections and audits. The position is onsite, Monday to Friday 8am-5pm, with on-call duty and occasional travel.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and improve the site food safety and quality management system, including food safety plans, prerequisite programs, sanitation controls, environmental monitoring, document control and records management.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, customer and third-party requirements and act as the main contact for inspections, audits, corrective actions and follow-up.
• Oversee product and material compliance, including specifications, labeling, packaging verification, process controls, testing, calibration and disposition of nonconforming product.
• Provide technical leadership for critical controls, sanitation and hygienic design, traceability, recall readiness, complaint investigations and continuous improvement.
• Support product launches, process changes, shelf-life and validation activities, and risk-based quality decisions.
• Lead internal audits, root cause analysis, CAPA, KPI reporting, site training and cross-functional collaboration.
• Oversee laboratory or external testing support, microbiological risk management and specialized process controls.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of quality leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Progressive food safety and quality experience in a manufacturing environment; ready-to-eat, deli, bakery or similar operations preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership of cross-functional teams, technical communication, data analysis and the ability to influence operational performance.

Required skills

• HACCP, PCQI and SQF certifications required.
• Strong knowledge of food safety plans, GMPs, sanitation systems, environmental monitoring, allergen controls, audit readiness and quality management practices.
• Experience with investigations, internal audits, CAPA, complaint management, traceability, recall readiness and risk-based product disposition.
• Experience with regulated manufacturing, certification programs, laboratory oversight and specialized process controls preferred.

What we offer

• Weekly pay and scheduling flexibility.
• Paid parental leave and paid education assistance.
• Team member discount and development programs for advancement.