Quality Assurance Officer

Quality Assurance Officer 

About us 

• 30+ years in personal care and skincare/cosmetics manufacturing 
• Family owned and operated Australian Business 
• Innovative, ethical, environmentally minded, high performing production and technical team 
• Global distribution channels and far-reaching supply network  
• Forefront of solid bar personal care product development and technology 
• Fast growing, fast paced company 
• Recent and significant growth in liquids production side of the business 
• Soap Solutions has developed and manufactured 4 of its own brands that are distributed nationally and internationally.  

Objective (Purpose):  

To assist the Quality Assurance (QA) /Quality Control (QC) Manager in ensuring that all raw materials, production processes, finished goods, and dispatch of goods have met all quality standards as per the Soap Solutions’ Quality Management System by maintaining strict adherence to quality and safety.  

Essential Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Quality Assurance / Quality Control: 
  • Regular monitoring of bar soap and liquid soap compounding and production lines. 
    • Ensure all components used in soap compounding area are correct and in-date. 
    • Ensure products meet specifications of weight, colour, packaging, etc. 
    • Ensure correct batch coding information and packing configuration. 
    • Ensure daily production logs and monitoring logs are filled correctly. 
    • Responsible for maintaining relevant QA/QC related files and documents. 
    • Ensure finished goods are checked and approved with every changeover in production at the start and end of each production run.  
    • Keeping and monitoring retention samples for every production batch 
    • Keeping up to date with the production schedules to effectively achieve all the above. 
    • Print labels required for production (carton/SRT labels) in accordance with the correct product and batch information (Liaising with production planning team to do so).  
    • Update and create Product Information Sheets (product dossiers) for all products, ensuring these are current and correct before each production run. 
    • Communicate in a direct, clear, and conclusive manner to packaging/raw material suppliers in the case of out-of-specification materials or packaging being received such that a comprehensive resolution is quickly achieved. 
    • Perform periodical microbiological testing on liquid/soap bar products and raw materials and equipment as prescribed in SOPs or as required. 
    • Organise and perform periodical stability testing of production batch retentions, providing crucial stability data upon which formulation change, development and production scheduling rely.  
    • Periodic QA checks of QA equipment inside the factory such as weighing scales, viscometers, pH meters, metal detectors, etc. The QA/QC Officer is expected to be able to use and calibrate each of these apparatus with a high level of competency if and as required (Training will be provided). 
    • Responsible for collaboration with Production to ensure all manufacturing processes comply with GMP. 
    • Assist QA Manager in providing guidance to effectively resolve deviations and out-of-specification results and work closely with other departments in developing plans for investigations and corrective actions. 
    • Assist QA Manager with regards to customer complaints, perform necessary investigations and prepare CAPA, NCRs and/or deviation reports if required. 
    • Develop and review Quality Assurance and control procedures by effective design and review of SOPs, test procedures, process validation protocols, reports, etc. in the pursuit of the continual improvement of all facets of the QMS and the business. 
    • Assist QA Manager during Quality and Technical Assessment audits, as well as Certification compliance audits for both suppliers and customers (including conducting internal audits and periodical staff training).  
    • Ensure continuous improvement by identifying emerging trends, technologies, and best practices and incorporate into operations, where applicable. 
    • Frequently interact with peer group colleagues in Production, Maintenance, R&D, Laboratory and Senior management. Perform other duties as assigned. 
    • Assist QA Manager and the laboratory for any required sampling/testing for specific studies or investigations.
• Receival of Raw Materials and Packaging: 
  • Review and approve with QA Manager quality reports from packaging / raw material suppliers where applicable.  
  • Sampling, quality checking, recording, labelling, and approving all raw materials and packaging that enter the factory into a specified location. Data to be logged and checked include date of receival, courier delivered by, product description, quantity, state of goods upon delivery and supplier information.  
  • Ensure Certificate of Analysis of raw material complies with specification sheet and previous Certificate of Analysis. Ensuring the right material in the right quantity has been delivered. 
    • If there is no CoA attached, request for a digital copy so that material/packaging can be booked in and allocated. 
    • File and organise signed CoA and Delivery Note together and into folder for that month. 
  • Ensure packaging materials such as wraps and labels received are sampled and quality checked against the Master copy. 

To be considered for this role, you need to have: 

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in science and technology is preferred. Must have >2 years of experience in FMCG industry as QA officer.  

Working Knowledge:  

• Good Manufacturing Practices 
• Quality Management System 
• Good Laboratory Practices 
• Other regulatory requirements (standards) 

Technical Understanding:  

• Soap Chemistry 
• Cosmetics products, creams, lotions. 
• Manufacturing processes and equipment 
• Microbiological testing methods 
• Stability Testing Methods 
• Writing scientific protocols, reports and compilation of documents required for regulatory submissions 

Organizational Skills:  

• Ability to liaise and communicate with all levels of people 
• Ability to manage and organise time effectively 
• Good scientific judgement 

Supervisory Responsibility:  

• Able to drive quality standards to production staff 

ENVIRONMENT PHYSICAL: On the job the employee must:  

• Sit Stand  
• Walk 
• Push/Pull 
• Kneel 
• Handle objects (manual dexterity) 
• Reach above shoulder level
• Use fine finger movement
• Must carry/lift loads of: Moderate (12-25 kg)

Full time – Permanent. 

7:00AM - 4:30PM OR 8:30AM - 5.00PM typical operating hours. There are occasionally overtime/weekend shifts. 

Attractive salary would be offered to the right fit, commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

Must have full Australian working rights, sponsorship will not be offered for this role 

The manufacturing site is in Cromer, Sydney. Proximity to our site will be strongly considered. It is advantageous to reside no more than 45 mins from the site.