Laboratory Technician II

Job description
About the position

Foremost Farms USA is seeking a dedicated Laboratory Technician II to join our team at the Greenville, MI dairy campus. This full-time position operates on a 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM shift, following a 2-2-3 rotation, with weekends required as needed. As a Laboratory Technician, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and safety of our dairy products by performing accurate sampling and testing of raw materials, in-process, and finished products. Your work will align with both customer and company standards, contributing to our mission of being a world-class supplier of cheese, dairy products, and ingredients. In this role, you will be responsible for a variety of key accountabilities. You will perform sampling and testing practices that adhere to our business strategy and documented laboratory procedures, ensuring consistency and accuracy of results. This includes prioritizing and preparing lab samples for testing and shipment, preparing necessary reagents and microbial culture media, and conducting sampling in the production environment. You will also perform analytical tests, complete required documentation, and accurately enter test results into our databases. Additionally, you will participate in our Proficiency Testing program, maintain laboratory equipment, and assist the Laboratory/Quality Control Supervisor in troubleshooting efforts. Your commitment to safety and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) will be essential in maintaining a culture of excellence within our team. You will also be responsible for monitoring control points and maintaining related documentation, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements. This position is not only about technical skills but also about effective communication and teamwork, as you will need to escalate any out-of-spec results to leadership and participate in laboratory investigations when necessary.

Responsibilities
• Perform accurate sampling and testing of raw materials, in-process, and finished products for analytical and microbiological requirements.
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• Prioritize and prepare lab samples for testing and shipment to other labs and customers.
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• Prepare necessary reagents, microbial culture media, and controls according to standard formulas.
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• Conduct sampling in the production environment, including environmental pathogen sponges, ATP swabs, and clean equipment swabs.
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• Perform analytical tests and complete required documentation for samples, incoming, and finished products.
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• Accurately enter test results into R12 and other utilized databases.
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• Participate in Proficiency Testing program and achieve satisfactory results for analytical and microbiological samples.
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• Clean and sterilize laboratory equipment and waste.
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• Maintain lab equipment, including recalibration of equipment.
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• Assist Laboratory/Quality Control Supervisor in troubleshooting efforts with equipment.
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• Follow established guidelines and criteria when performing retests.
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• Comply with all company safety policies, GMPs, GLPs, and state and federal regulatory requirements.
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• Interpret lab results and escalate out of spec or suspect results to leadership staff.
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• Participate in laboratory investigations when needed.

Requirements
• High school diploma or GED.
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• 2-3 years of job-related experience.
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• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
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• Ability to follow instructions and procedures with a high degree of accuracy.

Nice-to-haves
• Associate degree or lab certification preferred.
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• Familiarity with a lab environment.
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• Understanding of electronic and computerized laboratory equipment.

Benefits
• Equal Opportunity Employer
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• Commitment to employee diversity
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• Successful completion of pre-employment screening including drug test and background check Read more