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.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (other duties may be assigned as needed):
 

• 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; escalate 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.

SAFETY/GMP/Misc (if applicable)

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

what it takes


Individuals must possess these knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: BS or HS? No experience or 1 yr or 3 yr or 5yr??
 

• 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.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
 

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

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
 

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

LICENSES/CERTIFICATION:
 

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

REASONING ABILITY:
 

• 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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
 

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

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee is required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, bend, and smell.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and peripheral vision.  The position requires travel and weekend work. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather elements with fluctuating weather temperatures ranging from cold to hot and dry to wet.  The noise level in the work environment is usually normal with occasions while working near larger equipment the noise level may be slightly louder. Due to weather elements such as mud, individual should have keen sense of worker safety based on surroundings.

 

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) English  https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Spanish  https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/fmlasp.pdf 
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)  https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) English  https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Spanish  https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/eppaspan.pdf
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)  https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/VETS/legacy/files/USERRA_Private.pdf

Department: QA & Food Safety
This is a non-management position
This is a full-time position