Quality Assurance Supervisor

Darigold is seeking a motivated Quality Assurance Supervisor to join the team at our Caldwell plant. The Quality Assurance Supervisor oversees daily laboratory operations, product quality, food safety programs, and regulatory compliance, which produces butter, skim concentrate, and buttermilk concentrate. This role partners with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, and Corporate Quality to ensure products meet specifications, quality systems are effectively maintained, and risks are identified and resolved proactively. The successful candidate combines strong dairy industry knowledge with hands-on technical expertise, analytical problem-solving, and the ability to lead employees and drive accountability across the facility.

Darigold is the fifth largest dairy cooperative in the United States based on milk volume, and one of the largest privately held organizations headquartered in the state of Washington. Since 1918, our producers have taken pride in producing dairy products with unsurpassed quality. Today we are one of the nation's largest agricultural cooperatives, producing over 8.5 billion pounds of milk every year. Through innovative technology and our efficient, flexible production capabilities, we deliver value-added products and customer-driven solutions. Darigold is now known throughout the world for bringing fresh, wholesome dairy products and ingredients from the Northwest to people all around the globe.

What You Will Do:

• Oversee laboratory testing, equipment calibration, quality control, sample management, and documentation. Ensure accurate, timely data entry and review within LIMS, investigate abnormal results, and maintain compliance with approved laboratory methods and Corporate Quality requirements

• Review laboratory results, processing parameters, operator quality checks, and production records daily. Conduct product evaluations with Operations, identify trends and deviations, and support product holds, disposition, and corrective actions in accordance with established procedures

• Participate in the plant HACCP program and maintain applicable food safety programs, including allergen control, environmental monitoring, vitamin fortification, and Appendix N documentation and reporting. Support compliance with applicable FDA, PMO, customer, and company requirements

• Maintain accurate, audit-ready records, procedures, and specifications. Conduct routine plant self-audits, support regulatory and third-party audits, investigate findings, and ensure corrective actions are completed and verified

• Lead investigations into product nonconformances, laboratory failures, environmental monitoring findings, and recurring quality issues. Apply structured problem-solving and data analysis to identify root causes, prevent recurrence, and improve product consistency and process performance

• Review ingredient supplier Certificates of Analysis (COAs), investigate customer complaints, prepare technical responses, and coordinate corrective actions with internal teams and suppliers

• Provide technical direction and coaching to laboratory and quality personnel. Train employees on quality and food safety requirements, promote accountability across departments, and support the QA Manager in executing plant and corporate quality objectives

• Track, trend, and report key quality and food safety metrics, identify emerging risks, and communicate performance and improvement opportunities to Plant Leadership

What You Will Bring:

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive quality assurance or laboratory experience in food manufacturing, with dairy processing experience strongly preferred

• Strong understanding of dairy product quality, laboratory testing, food safety systems, and manufacturing process controls

• Experience with LIMS, laboratory data interpretation, quality trending, and investigation of out-of-specification results

• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, environmental monitoring, allergen control, sanitation, and regulatory compliance

• Demonstrated ability to lead investigations, perform root-cause analysis, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurring issues

• Strong communication, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and manage competing priorities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel for data analysis and reporting, and the ability to work independently with minimal oversight

• Bachelor's degree in Dairy Science, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline preferred

• Experience in dairy manufacturing, particularly with butter, cream, milk concentrates, or other dairy ingredients, strongly preferred

• Previous supervisory or team-lead experience in a quality laboratory or food manufacturing environment

• Working knowledge of dairy microbiology, pasteurization controls, vitamin fortification, and applicable Appendix N requirements

• HACCP, PCQI, internal auditing, or Lean/Six Sigma training or certification preferred

Benefits of Working at Darigold:

We understand that as an employee, benefits that support you and your family in and out of work are important. We’re proud to offer eligible positions a competitive total rewards package that includes:

• 401k with competitive employer matching

• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision benefits

• Employer paid life & disability coverage

• Paid time off and paid holidays

• 8 weeks paid parental leave

• Education assistance

• Employee assistance program

• Community giving through matching donations

• Access to great dairy products & participation in our employee butter purchase program

Our Commitment to Diversity:

Achieving our vision to Lead Dairy Forward requires cultivating and supporting a team with varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are committed to providing a workplace based on mutual respect where all employees feel included and can bring their best and authentic selves to work every day. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer. We welcome all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, creed, religion, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. As a condition of employment applicants offered a role will be required to successfully pass our pre-employment background screen, receive a negative drug screen result & confirm eligibility to work in the U.S. We participate in E-Verify - please follow the links for details, English / Spanish & view our Right to Work Statement, English / Spanish.