QC Product Specialist - Proliant Health & Biologicals

Proliant Health & Biologicals, LLC is a leading manufacturer of protein ingredients for health, nutrition and biologicals. Founded in 1981, Proliant Health & Biologicals is a privately held company of the Lauridsen Group Incorporated. Proliant Health & Biologicals manufactures and markets high purity plasma fractions used in the diagnostic, veterinary, biopharmaceutical, nutraceutical and life science research industries. The purpose of this position is to provide quality and food safety support for the business, including analytical testing on incoming ingredients and finished products. JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Education: BS or BA degree in biochemistry, chemistry or other science-related preferred. Experience: A minimum of 2 years’ experience in quality and food safety support is required. Chemistry testing or lab experience is preferred. ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Conduct testing of raw materials, in-process materials, finished products and water as required according to established procedures. Testing procedures include a chemistry analyzer, electrophoresis, endotoxin testing, pH testing, ELISAs, and protease testing. Complete data entry of laboratory analyses (LIMS) and verification of results for finished product release in a timely manner. Maintain a clean laboratory environment, including glassware and equipment as needed. Ensure laboratory equipment is calibrated and maintained. Coordination of finished product samples for testing and retention storage. Coordination of monthly monitoring samples of RO and municipal water. Monitoring laboratory supply levels and request ordering of supplies when needed. Maintain current SDS for the laboratory. Provide support for QC and operations relative to the quality management system (EtQ Reliance), including document control, non-conforming product, CAPA’s, change management, and supplier assessment. Responsible for the identifying the status of finished product: Quarantine, Approved or Rejected. Provide trending of finished product testing results, as needed, for quality, operations, sales or R&D personnel. Maintain controlled documents or records, e.g., production batch records. Provide quality and food safety information to customers, as needed. Other duties as assigned. BASIC PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Approximate: 8-Hour Day (may be longer during peak season) Key: Occasional = 0% - 33% Frequent = 34% - 66% Continuous = 67% - 100% N/A = Not Applicable Standing - Frequent Sitting - Occasional Walking - Occasional Bending/Kneeling/Crouching/Stooping - Occasional Reaching Above Shoulder - Occasional Climbing (stairs, ladders, etc.) - Occasional Working on Heights: Unprotected Heights - N/A Protected Heights - N/A Lifting Weights from 0 to 50 pounds - Occasional Push/Pull/Maneuver Equipment/Products/Materials Weighing from 0 to 50 pounds - Occasional Being Around and/or Operating Moving Machinery/Equipment - Frequent Operating a Vehicle (as a part of your job) - Occasional Read/Monitor Gauges on Various Equipment/Machinery - Frequent Hand Movements: Recording Data - Frequent Operating Office Equipment - Frequent Operating Computer - Frequent Simple Grasping (right and left) - Occasional Firm Grasping (right and left) - Occasional Fine Manipulating (right and left) - Occasional Foot Movements to Operate Foot Controls - N/A Good Vision, Corrected to Normal; or Ability to Access Required Information and to Perform Job Duties - Yes Color Definition - Yes Good Hearing, Corrected to Normal; or Ability to Communicate and/or Understand Required Information and to Perform Job Duties - Yes Ability to be Mobile throughout Required Work Areas - Yes Office - Occasional Multiple Locations - Occasional Plant - Occasional Equipment/Maintenance or Repair Area - N/A Rough Terrain - N/A Lab - Frequent SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS: Employees are required to follow all safety policies and procedures. Job duties include maintaining good housekeeping in the work area, using required personal protective equipment and recognizing the hazards of the job. The employee shall take precautions to assure safety to themselves and others. Responsibilities include always applying safe work practices, informing their supervisor of hazards and recommending how to eliminate them. The employee shall prevent injury to themselves and to others, and actively participate in the overall safety program. BASIC MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: This job requires the mental capabilities to apply research knowledge/principles to produce and communicate processes and procedures in the chemistry laboratory. Furthermore, the ability to implement analytical methods and provide creative solutions is important for the role. The employee must be willing to take direction from others as well as work independently. WORKING CONDITIONS AND EXPOSURES: Laboratory working conditions exist with exposure to acidic and alkaline substances. Additional exposures include biohazards, odors, noise, moving equipment and occasional use of poisonous chemical. Additional job duties include activities in the manufacturing process area. The manufacturing process areas have controlled access, where lab coats, hairnets, and shoe covers are required. At times the employee may be required to travel on company business with exposures to inclement weather and production conditions. LGI’s foundation began in 1916 as the Lauridsen Creamery, selling butter, eggs and poultry to the local community. Although our headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa, is not far from the old creamery in Dedham, Iowa, the company is now worldwide with more than fifty manufacturing and sales locations in twenty countries and sales in more than sixty countries. Each company under the LGI umbrella is truly independent. They have the ability and the charge to be entrepreneurial, to seek out new markets, to develop new products and applications, and – above all - to discover new ways to add value through fractionation and novel application. What’s more, because some LGI companies have offices and presence around the world, all LGI companies benefit from their exposure to new markets, new products, new applications and new thinking.