Food Safety Specialist

About us

At the forefront of farming and food, UPSIDE Foods is innovating new ways to produce real meat, without the need to breed, feed and slaughter animals. Our process begins with an animal cell, which is cultivated and harvested as meat. UPSIDE Foods is a mission-driven company focused on bringing to meat lovers an authentic product that is truly humane, sustainably produced, nutritious and delicious! We are now expanding our team of dedicated professionals across disciplines to make better meat for a better world.

About this job

The Food Safety Specialist will play a key supporting role in executing and enforcing the food safety and quality systems that will come to define cultivated meat food production, processing, and packaging processes required to ensure safe and delicious meat food products for consumers at pilot and commercial scale.

The Food Safety Specialist will be responsible for assisting with the implementation, execution, and enforcement of food safety and quality systems as products, processes, and company priorities are developed. This role supports the Food Safety Manager and the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Team, aiding in company precedent for scaled cultivated meat quality and food safety. The ideal candidate is eager to take on new challenges, is not afraid to fail and is willing to identify mistakes and learn from them.  

Responsibilities include...

Aid in the implementation, execution, and enforcement of food safety and quality systems that will be a critical pillar of manufacturing cell-cultured meat and an example for this new way of making food. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Performing supporting tasks for the overall execution of the plant food safety and quality systems, such as
• Document control and revisions
• Production record review
• Supplier documentation collection and review
• Facility inspections and internal audits to ensure compliance with company food safety policies
• External audit support, including FDA, USDA, and local regulatory agencies
• Non-conformance and complaint investigation and CAPA 
• Software implementation support as needed
• Supporting the Quality Assurance plant lab team as needed for sample collection and analysis, operational inspections, sanitation verifications, calibration, and other duties as needed. 
• Acts as a point person on behalf of the department for quality and day-to-day food safety issues at the plant.
• Uphold, along with the Sr. Leadership, a strong culture and commitment to Quality and Food Safety throughout the UPSIDE Foods organization.
• Must be able to carry up to 25 pounds. Must be able to sit or stand up for long periods of time while monitoring operations and performing daily tasks. Must be able to don Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses, gloves, footwear, lab coats or coveralls) on a daily basis, as well as hearing and dust protection as needed.

About you...

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (food science, food manufacturing, biology, etc.) preferred, or equivalent experience
• 2+ years experience in food manufacturing within the food safety and quality department preferred
• Strong organizational skills, written and verbal communication skills, and a keen eye for detail
• Experience implementing GFSI programs preferred, including: Supplier Management, Sanitation/Pre-OP, Internal & External Auditing, CAPA/Root Cause Analysis, Document Control, Crisis Management, Customer Complaints, Environmental Monitoring, Food Defense, Food Fraud and Allergen Management
• PCQI and/or HACCP certification preferred, but willing to train after hire
• Experience with Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive) preferred, ability to learn new software platforms quickly required
• A collaborative nature that works well independently and with others
• A willingness to work with teammates to build a healthy professional environment to produce delicious, safe meat products

Who you’ll work with…

• This role will work with employees across the manufacturing organization to ensure that food safety standards are continuously met, including bioprocessing, food production, engineering, facilities, and office team members. 

Key Contributions in First Year…

• Get familiarized with new methods for food production and how to incorporate food safety and quality in every process step.
• Aid in the development and implementation of new food safety programs at UPSIDE Foods’ production facilities.

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family members!
• Unlimited PTO
• DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Council and People Engagement Programs
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.