Winter 2027 Co-op - Quality Assurance

Working directly with Quality, Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, and other site functions, you will spend time on the production floor observing processes, identifying and communicating potential safety concerns, reviewing food safety and quality controls, analyzing information, developing procedures, and completing special projects within the Quality function. Develop and improve Safety and Quality procedures, Standard Work Instructions (SWIs), and supporting documentation to promote safe execution, improve clarity and consistency, strengthen compliance, and support First-Time-Right performance. Observe manufacturing and quality processes with employee safety as the first consideration, and collect information directly from Quality personnel, operators, technicians, and supervisors to accurately document requirements and work practices. Verify and validate procedures through employee engagement, record review, and process confirmation to ensure they can be performed safely and are accurate, complete, usable, and executable. Support special projects within the Quality function related to employee safety, food safety, product quality, process controls, data analysis, documentation, or compliance improvement. Assist with the review of quality records, inspections, test results, process checks, and other information used to verify conformance to established requirements. Participate in quality issue investigations, structured problem solving, root cause analysis, and the development or verification of corrective actions. Analyze safety, quality, and process data using Microsoft Office tools and plant information systems to identify trends, variation, risks, and improvement opportunities. Support internal audits, procedure reviews, document control activities, and preparation for safety, customer, regulatory, or certification audits. Collaborate with Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, and site leadership to strengthen employee safety, food safety, quality systems, process control, and compliance. This role provides a unique opportunity to understand how food safety and quality requirements are translated into daily manufacturing controls. Through HACCP, preventive controls, procedure development, production-floor observation, data analysis, investigations, audits, and special projects, you will gain firsthand experience with how product specifications, process controls, sanitation practices, testing, documentation, and regulatory requirements work together to ensure safe, consistent, and high-quality products. Total Rewards: $31.00/hour Paid bi-weekly $5,000 Sign-on Bonus, paid within 30 days of employment Currently enrolled full-time in an accredited bachelor's degree program in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical discipline, and have completed at least two full years of undergraduate study prior to the start of the co-op. Available to work 40 hours per week (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM). Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Exceptional communication skills, including active listening, professional written communication, effective verbal communication, and the ability to engage employees at all levels of the organization. Demonstrated professionalism, accountability, and maturity in academic, work, leadership, military, athletic, or extracurricular settings. Comfortable working safely in a food manufacturing environment and spending significant time on the production floor observing processes, reviewing records, and interacting with employees. Ability to work independently, take initiative, and effectively manage assigned work with minimal supervision. Ability to work collaboratively across diverse functions including Quality, Operations, Sanitation, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, Logistics, Delivery, and Finance. Ability to receive feedback, apply coaching, and continuously improve performance and work quality. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.