Quality Assurance Specialist

Butternut Box; Worksop; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A pet food company in Worksop is seeking a Quality Assurance Process Lead to oversee product quality and assist with quality management systems. The ideal candidate will have experience in food manufacturing, particularly in QA and system management. This position offers a competitive salary and a variety of employee benefits, including a generous holiday quota and personal development budget.

Benefits

257.5 hours of holiday per year

£500 annual budget for personal learning

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Employee discount on Butternut Box

Qualifications

• Proven track record of QA in food manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of production and packing processes.
• Experience in managing quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement quality management processes.
• Conduct product testing on raw materials and finished goods.
• Investigate non-conformances and agree corrective actions.

Skills

QA experience in food manufacturing

Systems management

Understanding of production processes

Knowledge of HACCP

Ability to adapt

Problem-solving skills

Job description

Quality Assurance Process Lead

Position Summary
As a Quality Assurance Process Lead, you will report to the Technical Team Leader on shift at Rudie’s Kitchen and Ace’s Pantry. Your role is to ensure the company’s quality systems and processes are executed in a controlled, effective manner, maintaining product quality from raw materials to dispatched goods. The role bridges standard QA responsibilities and senior-level tasks – you’ll have the autonomy of a senior position without line‑management duties and will be offered an attractive salary of up to £40,678.72 per year.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a proactive approach to process and system control/management, educating the broader team.
• Conduct product testing on incoming raw materials and finished goods.
• Monitor and trend product quality, identifying improvements and collaborating with Operations, Process, NPD Engineering and Raw Materials to deliver them.
• Ensure daily, weekly and monthly QA scheduled tasks (GMP, calibrations, audits and sampling) are completed on time and follow up subsequent actions.
• Investigate non‑conformances (incidents, analytical testing, audits, customer complaints), agree corrective actions and measure effectiveness.
• Attend process trials and support the integration of new product processes and equipment into everyday operations, ensuring support by the Quality Management System (SOPs, quality parameters, schedule updates).
• Work a shift pattern of 7 am to 7 pm days and nights:
  • 4 on, 5 off = 2 days, 2 nights
  • 5 on, 4 off = 3 days, 2 nights
  • 5 on, 5 off = 2 days, 3 nights

Qualifications & Experience

• Previous QA experience in food manufacturing is essential.
• Pragmatic, adaptable, resilient and humble.
• Proven track record of QA, systems management or HACCP in food manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of production and packing processes.
• Working knowledge of process capability and target setting.
• Hungry for a challenge and keen to build something from the ground up.
• Enjoy the pace and excitement of FMCG manufacturing.
• Love dogs (naturally).

Benefits

• 257.5 hours of holiday per year, plus an extra 8 hours for each year of service (up to 40 hours).*
• 39 hours of pre‑booked paws days to support wellbeing and self‑care.*
• £500 annual budget for personal learning and development.
• Discounted Private Medical Insurance and dental cover.
• Discounted gym membership with “MyGymDiscounts”.
• Subsidised food from street‑food vans, plus pay‑day pizza.
• Butternut branded uniform (fleece, footwear, hi‑vis).
• Company pension scheme and sick pay.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Private showers, changing facilities and dedicated locker space.
• Employee discount on Butternut Box for your pet.
• Bright kitchen space with lunch facilities and large‑screen TVs.
• Free tea, coffee, fruit and pay‑day pizzas.
• Opportunities for growth, internal training programmes and development.
• Team socials & events.
• Refer‑a‑friend bonus of up to £500.
• Free parking and electric car charging.

About Butternut

At Butternut, our mission is to deliver health and happiness to dogs and their humans worldwide. We value forward‑thinking, driven people who love dogs and appreciate high‑quality food made with human‑grade ingredients. We are a B‑Corp looking for brilliant people to join the next chapter of our story.

Additional Notes

• There is no closing date for this role – apply as soon as possible due to high application volume.
• We aim to respond to all applicants personally; the recruitment team is small.
• Butternut Box is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion and supporting under‑represented groups.
• We are not seeking external agency support for this role.